Sienese Painting: The Art of a City-Republic (1278-1477) (World of Art)

Book Description 'An unimprovable union of exceptionally acute looking, magical prose and authoritative prose … a wonderfully balanced account of a woefully neglected school' The Times Literary Supplement Product Description For two centuries, the city-republic of Siena was home to a brilliant succession of painters who produced some of the greatest masterpieces of all time. This overview is an essential introduction to this extraordinary artistic tradition. Taking a broadly chronological approach, it moves from the fourteenth-century Siena of Duccio, Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers, to the fifteenth-century city of Sassetta and Giovanni di Paolo. Perceptive visual analysis of the distinctive styles and conventions of Sienese painting is combined with clear explanations of traditional techniques such as fresco and tempera. The works are also placed in their social and religious context through discussion of Siena’s system of government, its civic consciousness, the importance of the Franciscan movement and the cults of local saints. An accomplished writer as well as a practising artist, Timothy Hyman brings breadth of knowledge and experience to this extensively illustrated book, brilliantly conveying his personal enthusiasm for Sienese art. Review 'Required reading for anyone visiting the city' - The Spectator 'A work of enthralled advocacy' - Tom Lubbock, The Evening Standard From the Back Cover Perceptive visual analysis guides the reader through the golden age of Sienese painting from 1278 to 1477, featuring the masterpieces of Duccio and Lorenzetti, also including discussion and illustration of less well-known works by artists such as Giovanni di Paolo and the Master of Osservanza. A broadly chronological approach is adopted, with each chapter devoted to the work of one artist or group. This study looks at the defining characteristics of Sienese painting - rich colour and spatial inventiveness - in panel painting, frescoes and manuscript illumination. The first two, executed for both religious and civic institutions, form the focus of the book. Painting is situated in its social and religious context, with an emphasis on the Franciscan movement, the cult of the Virgin Mary and the veneration of local saints, and discussion of Siena's civic self-consciousness and the dramatic impact of the Black Death. An epilogue concludes with a look at renewed interest in Sienese painting among artists and historians, and it relevance for modern painters. About the Author Timothy Hyman is well known both as a writer on art and a painter. He was elected a Royal Academician in 2011 and is an honorary research fellow at University College London. He has exhibited widely and his work is in many public collections, including the British Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Deutsche Bank Collection. He was lead curator of Tate’s major Stanley Spencer retrospective exhibition and has written a pioneering monograph on Bhupen Khakhar. His articles have appeared in the Times Literary Supplement and the London Magazine, and he is the author of Bonnard and Sienese Painting, both published by Thames & Hudson.