In a historic celebration of its 200th anniversary, the National Gallery will reunite some of the most significant 14th-century Italian paintings, many of which have been separated for centuries. These masterpieces, created during a transformative period in Western art, will be brought together for the first time in the exhibition Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300–1350 that opened this week.
The exhibition features approximately 100 works, highlighting the groundbreaking contributions of Sienese artists who revolutionised painting during this era. Among the highlights are panels from Duccio di Buoninsegna’s monumental Maestà altarpiece, a landmark in Western art. Painted for Siena Cathedral, the Maestà was the first major double-sided altarpiece, marking a pivotal narrative art shift. Dismantled in the 18th century, its surviving panels are now scattered across the globe.
The exhibition reunites key pieces, including The Annunciation (The National Gallery, London), Christ and the Woman of Samaria (Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid), and The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew (National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.).
Another significant reunion will be Simone Martini’s Orsini Polyptych, a folding devotional work likely created for Cardinal Napoleone Orsini. Currently divided between the Louvre (Paris), the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (Antwerp), and the Gemäldegalerie (Berlin), the polyptych’s six panels—Christ Bearing the Cross, Crucifixion, Descent from the Cross, Entombment, The Archangel Gabriel, and The Virgin of the Annunciation—will be displayed together for the first time in centuries.
The exhibition also showcases two triptychs by Duccio: The Virgin and Child with Saint Dominic and Saint Aurea and Patriarchs and Prophets (both from the National Gallery, London), alongside The Crucifixion; The Redeemer with Angels; Saint Nicholas and Saint Clement (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston). These works believed to have been created as a pair for Cardinal Niccolò da Prato, feature matching exterior decorations and exemplify Duccio’s innovative approach to devotional art.
In addition to Duccio and Simone Martini, the exhibition highlights the works of Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, two brothers whose paintings combined technical mastery with emotional depth and daring innovation. Their contributions, alongside those of their contemporaries, will illustrate the evolution of Sienese painting and its influence across Europe.
The exhibition explores the broader artistic context of the period, featuring works in various media such as metalwork, enamel, gilded glass, wood, marble, and manuscript illumination. These objects will illuminate the connections between Sienese painting and the broader artistic traditions of the time, showcasing the radical experimentation that led to the creation of new forms, including large multi-tiered altarpieces and personal devotional works.
Curated by Caroline Campbell (Director of the National Gallery of Ireland), Stephan Wolohojian (John Pope-Hennessy Curator in Charge of European Paintings at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), Laura Llewellyn (Curator of Italian Paintings before 1500 at the National Gallery, London), Imogen Tedbury (Curator of Italian Paintings before 1500, maternity cover, at the National Gallery, London), and Professor Joanna Cannon (Courtauld Institute of Art, London), the exhibition will trace the impact of Sienese art across Europe, from France and England to Bohemia.
Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300–1350 8 March – 22 June 2025 The National Gallery, London Ground Floor Galleries
Photos © Artlyst 2025