SIMONE MARTINI
(b. 1280/85, Siena, d. 1344, Avignon)

Scenes from the Life of St Martin

1320-25
Fresco
Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi

The picture shows the west wall of the chapel. The scenes are: Miraculous Mass (scene 7, above left), Miracle of Fire (scene 8, above right), St Martin is Knighted (scene 3, below left), and St Martin Renounces his Weapons (scene 4, below right).

The pictorial program of the chapel interior includes ten scenes from the life of St martin, essentially based on the Golden Legend. All of the scenes are dominated by a calm, restrained, almost gentle narrative tone. There is no lack of genrelike elements, , far more powerful than these, however, are echoes of a courtly milieu, which are expressed openly in the penchant for chivalric motifs. The faces are usually very realistic, displaying a broad spectrum of physiognomic characterization and lively expression. The colour was once more richly nuanced, but much of it has been lost as a result of the extensive use of secco painting.




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