BARNA DA SIENA
(active in mid-14th century)

Scenes from the New Testament

c. 1340
Fresco, height 800 cm
Collegiata Santa Maria Assunta, San Gimignano

Following Vasari, the frescoes in the north aisle of the collegiate church in San Gimignano were long attributed to a painter by the name of Barna da Siena. Vasari based this attribution on Ghiberti, who in the Commentarii (written about 1447) adopted a tradition that was obviously incorrect. Now there is a broad agreement among scholars that Vasari's information on the figure and life of Barna was freely invented. It is generally assumed today that the painter of the frescoes was from the immediate circle of Simone Martini, most probably Lippo Memmi.

You can find a description of the frescoes in the north aisle in the section of Lippo Memmi.