SIMONE MARTINI (b. 1280/85, Siena, d. 1344, Avignon) The Miracle of the Resurrected Child 1312-17 Fresco, 296 x 230 cm Cappella di San Martino, Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi Starting from the entrance of the chapel, from left to right and from top to bottom, the side walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling are frescoed with scenes from the life of St Martin: on the lower level, the Division of the Cloak, the Dream, St Martin is Knighted and Renounces his Weapons; on the middle level, the Miracle of the Resurrected Child, Meditation, the Miraculous Mass and the Miracle of Fire; on the t
SIMONE MARTINI (b. 1280/85, Siena, d. 1344, Avignon) The Miracle of the Resurrected Child 1312-17 Fresco, 296 x 230 cm Cappella di San Martino, Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi Starting from the entrance of the chapel, from left to right and from top to bottom, the side walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling are frescoed with scenes from the life of St Martin: on the lower level, the Division of the Cloak, the Dream, St Martin is Knighted and Renounces his Weapons; on the middle level, the Miracle of the Resurrected Child, Meditation, the Miraculous Mass and the Miracle of Fire; on the top level we find the last two episodes, Death and Burial of the Saint. To the left of the Meditation is the fresco of the Miracle of the Resurrected Child; like the Miraculous Mass, this episode had never been included in a fresco cycle before. While Martin is praying he is approached by a woman holding her dead child in her arms; she begs him to do something and the Saint kneels in prayer. Amidst the astonishment of those present the child is resurrected. It was pointed out that Simone does not follow the official biographies (which all report the incident as having taken place in the countryside around Chartres), but blends this event with a legend that was popular in Siena at the time. This legend was a longstanding oral tradition, which we know of from a 1657 source; it tells the story of Martin stopping in Siena while on his way to Rome on a pilgrimage. In Siena he performed a miracle so great that a church consecrated to him was built in the city. The miracle was a resurrection and this is the connection that justifies Simone's blending of the two episodes and changing the setting to Siena. The city centre is symbolized by the building to the right: the square-topped battlements, the three-light mullioned windows on the piano nobile and the Sienese arch above the entrance door help us identify it as the Palazzo Pubblico. This is how the town hall appeared before 132
Size: 2404px × 2800px
Photo credit: © Carlo Bollo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1300, 1300s, 14th, artwork, century, gothic, international, italian, late, martini, paint, painter, painting, paintings, simone
