Simone Martini
Simone Martini was an Italian painter and a master of the Sienese school. He was active during the 13th and the 14th centuries and is thought of to be a pupil of Duccio. It is known he died August 4, 1344 in Avignon. "If we are to believe Vasari, who tells us that on Simone's tomb there was an epitaph stating that he had died at the age of sixty, then the artist must have been born around 1284" (Kren). He lived most of his life in Sienna (where he was born) and Tuscany, later he spent time in Avignon, where he perished. Simone Martini is remembered for the continuance of the techniques and "the sophisticated colour harmonies implicit in Duccio's" work yet assembled an individual style of his own to be recognized and remembered(Kren). "He developed the use of outline for the sake of linear rhythm" and later incorporated a gothic spirituality in his work (Kren). The Maesta, one of Simone's first commissioned works for the Palazzo Pubblico's Council Chamber in Siena, successfully solved the techniques for indicating three-dimensional space. " Simone unites the composition through the subtle re
Simone was also renowned for the outstanding creation of altarpieces and poliptychs, in which to the resplendency of the painter is added the patient refinery of a goldsmith, which is best, exemplified in Martini's Annunciation, which today can be found in the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy. The painting was originally composed for the Siena Cathedral in 1333. "This is the earliest known example in which the Annunciation was the subject of an entire altarpiece" (Hartt, 110). Gabriel's floating cloak indicates the suddenness of the angel's arrival. The Virgin's body position portrays the awkwardness of the heavenly angel's news and arrival. It is noted in the bible Mary was disquieted by the arrival and emergence of Gabriel. Martini put to use raised gesso to assemble words that extend from Gabriel's mouth towards Mary's ear (110). The words: "Ave gratia plena dominus tecum" translate to "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee" (Luke 1:28) are placed across the gold plated background (110). The Annunciation is still considered one of the greatest achievements of the Sienese school and successf
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 756
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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