The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched a stunning new exhibition dedicated to 13th-century Sienese art, showcasing rare works by Duccio, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Titled “Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350,” the exhibition is among the most ambitious since the pandemic began and is set to redefine public perception of Sienese painters, often overshadowed by their Florentine counterparts.
The exhibition brings together key pieces, many rarely seen in the U.S., with masterpieces traveling from churches and galleries around the world. Highlights include reassembled panels from Duccio’s famed Maestà and an entire altarpiece by Pietro Lorenzetti that made the journey from Arezzo. These works, carefully curated by Stephan Wolohojian, Laura Llewellyn, Caroline Campbell, and Joanna Cannon, are a visual testament to the groundbreaking techniques of these artists.
Visitors to the Met will find themselves immersed in the gold-leafed brilliance of religious works, with pieces like Duccio’s The Transfiguration drawing particular attention. In this work, Christ stands atop a rocky hill, a scene that departs from the more static Byzantine style, marking a shift toward greater naturalism and dynamic composition. Duccio places Christ firmly on earth, signaling a bold departure from the flattened heavens that had dominated prior religious art.
The exhibition also shines a spotlight on Simone Martini’s Virgin and Child with Four Saints and a Dominican Nun (ca. 1325), where the interplay of divine figures and realistic elements blurs the line between heaven and earth.
The use of gold leaf in such pieces adds an ethereal quality, heightening the mystical allure of the Sienese style while remaining rooted in the human experience.
“Siena has long been underestimated in art history,” said curator Stephan Wolohojian. “But this exhibition offers an opportunity to recognize the pioneering spirit of these artists, who were at the forefront of innovations in religious art.”
A notable feature of the show is its attention to Siena’s deep connection to the Virgin Mary, a figure who reappears in numerous works. The Sienese believed they were personally protected by her, a sentiment embodied in their city seal, which invoked her loveliness. This faith, along with a financial boom following their victory over Florence in 1260, helped fuel the city’s vibrant artistic scene.
Another compelling part of the exhibition is its exploration of cross-cultural influences. Ivory carvings from France and Turkish textiles suggest that Siena was a hub of artistic exchange. Many of Duccio’s biblical figures wear garments with patterns inspired by Islamic designs, highlighting the cosmopolitan nature of the city at the time.
Among the final pieces on display is Simone Martini’s Orsini Polyptych, a series of paintings designed to be portable and once owned by Cardinal Napoleone Orsini. This set of works, reunited for the first time in years, shows how narrative unfolded across multiple panels, advancing the storytelling potential of art and paving the way for future secular paintings.
With these Sienese masterpieces taking center stage, the Met’s exhibition not only rekindles interest in the city’s artistic contributions but also provides a rare opportunity to witness the evolution of European painting. The exhibit will travel to London’s National Gallery after its run in New York, offering a wider audience the chance to appreciate the brilliance of this underrepresented art form.