Sienese Painting

Posted: August 30, 2021 | Author: helytimes | Filed under: Uncategorized |2 Comments

Saw this in the window of the Carpinteria library’s used bookshop and had to have it. Maybe the best $2 I ever spent?

Had to see that one in color.

Says the Met:

This panel is the sixth in a series of eight that includes Saint Anthony at Mass (Gemäldegalerie, SMPK, Berlin); Saint Anthony Distributing His Wealth and Saint Anthony Blessed by an Old Hermit (both National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.); Saint Anthony Tempted by the Devil in the Guise of a Woman and Saint Anthony Beaten by Devils (both Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven); and Journey and Meeting of Saint Anthony with Saint Paul the Hermit and Funeral of Saint Anthony (both National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.).

at Mass:

(That is only a detail, next time in Berlin I will investigate).

Distributing his wealth:

Tempted by a devil in the guise of a woman:

Beaten by devils:

Meeting Paul:

Funeral:

There is some contention in the historical art community over which Sienese masters were directly responsible for which paintings. Scenes from the life of St. Anthony of Egypt have been questioned as Sassetta’s own work, and critics such as Donald Bruce believe that near-equals, such as the Griselda master also deserve attention for their achievements in art of this time period.

I agree. Sassetta did his own St. Anth beaten by Devils:

It was commissioned by the Wool Merchants Guild for the Carmelites in Siena to use in their Feast of Corpus Domini.

The Wool Merchants Guild.

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