Siena: The Rise of Painting

The Rise of Painting 1300-1350 

at the National Gallery 

8 March - 22 June 2025 

Having talked about the four 'stars' of the National Gallery's exhibition, in this talk we will look at the exhibition itself, focussing on the works which are included by the artists we have already seen, and considering what we learn about them by seeing them all together. However, if you have not attended those talks, do not worry! This lecture will stand alone as a virtual tour of the exhibition, preparing you for a future visit, or giving a sense of what it is like if you cannot get there. 

 As well as looking at the four main painters, we will also consider works by other artists contemporaries of the main four, as well as painters from later generations, and artists working in a variety of other media. This will help us to understand how important Sienese painting from the first half of the 14th century really was - as well as giving us an excuse to look at yet more beautiful artefacts.