Siena Cathedral

Duomos, or Cathedrals in Italian, are some of the most beautiful, inspiring, and mysterious marks in Italian history. There are more than thirty notable Duomos that contain stunning artwork, most are highly decorated and some could even be considered artwork themselves. “One of the most beautiful Duomos in Italy is Siena Cathedral of Santa Maria” (Myrabella). The Duomo of Siena is considered one of the most beautiful because it is lined with many pieces of art. From its facades (front facing exterior

rivalries often were due to disputes between said groups. Such was the case in Florence and Siena, as their many wars against one another sealed their opposition. To demonstrate this competition between major cities, one must look at works of art in each respective city and how each relates to one another. To do this, one can look at two prominent Maestá paintings commissioned in both Florence and Siena by the same artist. To begin, artists were influenced by the city in which they were commissioned

Throughout the centuries, Siena has been preserved to look as it did in the time of it’s construction. It is a beautiful Medieval city resting in the Tuscan hills, the characteristic red brick well suited to the lush green landscape. Walking through the streets, you might see the Siena coat of arms in the windows, the Balzana, alongside depictions of the Virgin Mary, or a theme of black and white. You might see intricate carvings in the pavement, symbols from a different time. What you would be passing

centuries in Italy are as known as the early Renaissance. Several artists remain well recognized from this period in art history. Duccio di Buoninsegna was an Italian painter, active in the city of Siena. His most famous work of art is the Maesta Altarpiece located in the Cathedral of Siena. At that time, Siena was very competitive with Florence. The greatest Florentine painter was Giotto di Bondone. He was a couple years younger than Duccio. Giotto’s crowning achievement is a series of fresco murals

In the early Renaissance era Florence and Siena were rivals in many aspects. The Battle of Montaperti was fought between the two in September of 1260. After their triumph over Florence, Siena used the monetary winnings for the building of the Palazzo Pubblico to serve the city in governmental, spiritual and social needs; it was comparable to the basilicas in ancient Rome in this aspect. The Palazzo Pubblico (fig. 1) was also made to compete with Florence’s already constructed Palazzo della Signoria1

Before the Renaissance, paintings from the classical time are about nothing but religion. Expressionless faces of Jesus Christ, the Madonna and the saints made them inaccessible to people. People’s body and minds were both framed, and the existence of human being seemed to be negligible and worthless compare to gods. “Man is only a reed, the weakest thing in nature”, as Blaise Pascal points out, but he continues with the most important phrase: “but he is a thinking reed”. Thinking gives human the

While most Renaissance art is easily attributable to the artist that created it, an artist’s work could vary dramatically depending on the city and patron for which the piece was commissioned. The fourteenth century Sienese artist Simone Martini was and example of these easily recognizable artists. Martini was known for his Gothic style that was influenced by northern Europe, but within two of his panel paintings, The Altarpiece of St. Louis of Toulouse and The Annunciation, he exhibited different

Introduction During the Late Middle Ages town squares and piazzas were starting to become more common around the world for the purpose of getting people together and entertainment. It can be argued that Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy is the most influential example of these types of structures. The Piazza del Campo helped the advancement of the Medieval piazzas, by incorporating different materials and design elements while still reflecting their original style of design. The typology of this

drapery and the painting as a whole, you can see the light source coming from the single direction and illuminating the figures on each side. This helps create sense of space and believability. This same painting was also painted by another artist in Siena named Duccio. The more mature work of Giotto which made him the leader in the development of the western paining is the fresno’s in the Arena Chapple. These painting were executed as Fresco, a method whereby moist plaster was applied only to an area

Sunday was often the only day that enslaved blacks did not have to work. The Sabbath became a full day of preaching, community building and socializing. The African American church still maintains this practice of an extended worship day with longer services and sermons than most other religious. The average time for blacks’ churches services is about ninety minutes, with the sermons lasting more than thirty minutes long. This is the etiquette article of African American churches. The Methodist