DUCCIO di Buoninsegna

The origin of the three wise men from the East is reinforced by a striking detail in the left-hand corner of the picture. Beyond the servants and the richly adorned horses we can glimpse the heads of two camels. The artist has made an effort to depict the animals’ unfamiliar faces.

This panel is on the front predella of the Maestà.

In this scene, the detail of the king holding his crown on his arm while bending to kiss the child’s feet is taken from the pulpit by Nicola Pisano. It is equally interesting to note the two camels, an evident reminder of the eastern origins of the Magi, while a star, badly damaged through loss of colour, shines above the grotto.

The picture, which depicts events on the Mount of Olives, concentrates several narrative scenes into a single landscape. On the far left, a group of Apostles has fallen into profound sleep.

The picture, which depicts events on the Mount of Olives, concentrates several narrative scenes into a single landscape. On the right, in accordance with the Gospel of St Luke, which is the only one to mention an angel appearing, Christ withdraws in prayer.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the centre of the bottom row below the scene of Christ Taken Prisoner.

In the Agony in the Garden, Jesus is turning to Peter, James the Great and John, shaking them and warning them not to fall into temptation, while the other disciples are sleeping. On the right, in accordance with the Gospel of St Luke, which is the only one to mention an angel appearing, he withdraws in prayer. In this quiet setting, both episodes are visualized through the gestures of Christ, Peter and the angel.

The angel, his robe light and fluttering, offers the palm branch to the Virgin - the palma mortis is present in all the episodes as an emblem of death and a symbol of paradise to come.

This scene is on one of the front crowning panels of the Maestà.

In the simple architectural frame enclosing the scene space is articulated with effortless accuracy. The beamed ceiling, the linearity of the horizontal pattern on the back wall, the slender arches opening onto the room where Mary is sitting, lend calm elegance to the surroundings. In the Announcement of Death the angel, his robe light and fluttering, offers the palm branch to the Virgin - the palma mortis is present in all the episodes as an emblem of death and a symbol of paradise to come.

In structure, this scene resembles the Annunciation panel. The archangel comes in through an arch on the left, and Mary receives the news while sitting at a reading-desk. he holds out a palm branch, spangled with stars, towards her. This is not merely a sign of her approaching death, but also of her immaculate conception.

The detail shows the angel Gabriel bringing the Virgin Mary greetings from God.

The detail shows the vase of lilies which perhaps can be related to Cavallini’s mosaic of the Annunciation in Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome.

The episode of the Annunciation, told only by Luke, is set in vividly articulated architectural surroundings, where consistency of line and colour lend harmonic energy to the whole. Gabriel is portrayed in movement, in the act of greeting (his hand and right foot are the opposite ends of a perfect diagonal), while Mary appears to be drawing back. She is illuminated by the ray of the Holy Spirit, in the form of a small white dove, penetrating from a cusped arch. The unreal perspective of the vase of lilies, reminiscent of Oriental art, has often been noted.

Fearing for their lives, the disciples have fled into a house and keep the doors locked. Christ appears to them outside a barred and bolted wooden door, in front of which a beam has also been fixed for extra security. The figure of the resurrected Christ, who dominates the centre of the picture, is perfectly framed by the door reveal and the arch above the door. The distinction between the presence of the disciples and Christ is again made clear by Duccio’s different treatment of the various garments.

The detail shows the group of apostles at the right side of the picture.

This scene is on one of the back crowning panels of the Maestà.

The episodes Appearance Behind Locked Doors and Doubting St Thomas take place in the same surroundings, the house where the apostles took refuge for fear of the Jews. The door in the centre, firmly shut with a horizontal bar (a detail which emphasizes the miraculous nature of the event), frames and shows up the dominant figure of Christ, towards whom the two groups of apostles are converging.

This scene is on one of the back crowning panels of the Maestà.

Standing on the bank of the lake, Christ commands the disciples, who have caught nothing, to cast their net once again. This time it is so full of fish that the three men have difficulty hauling it in.

In the Appearance on Lake Tiberias the vertical position of the figures of Christ and Peter is in opposition to the compact volume of the group of apostles, giving balance and harmony to the spatial distribution. The painting is superior in narrative description to the scene of the Calling of Peter and Andrew (very similar in its basic layout), and greater significance is given to the actions of the characters. The two disciples are bending over to lift the heavy catch in a most lifelike pose.

Christ entrusts his disciples with the task of spreading the Gospel throughout the world. Both his hands are raised in an oratorical gesture. The Apostles stand there, calmly listening. Two of them are carrying books, which must have a bearing on their mission as evangelists.

This scene is on one of the back crowning panels of the Maestà.

The Appearance on the Mountain in Galilee is simpler and barer and descriptive details are deliberately left out: Christ is entrusting the apostles with the task of spreading the faith (the books that two of the disciples are holding are a reminder of preaching) and nothing must distract attention from his words.

This scene is on one of the back crowning panels of the Maestà.

Rather than referring to the episode told by Mark (in which Christ reproaches the eleven for not believing those who said they had seen him after his death), the Appearance to the Apostles alludes to the story in Luke, where Jesus appears before the disciples and, to dispel all their doubts, eats with them. The detail of the fish painted on the plates repeats the gospel text to the letter.

The mourners bend down a long way over the dead woman’s corps, which is being lowered into the sarcophagus on a winding sheet. As he raises a hand to his mouth, one of the apostles in the background reveals his shock and grief.

This scene is on one of the front crowning panels of the Maestà.

In the burial scene the background of deeply indented rocks with small leafy trees evokes the valley of Jehoshaphat where the burial took place. The disciples, grouped quietly round the tomb in attitudes of tender affection, show their heartfelt participation in the sad event, particularly the person on the left who is lifting his hand to his mouth in grief.

The composition is strongly reminiscent of the scene depicting Christ’s entombment.

This panel is on the back predella of the Maestà.

Although adhering to the iconographic schemes of Byzantine and local art (clearly related to the scene on the same subject in the thirteenth-century St Peter Dossal in the Pinacoteca at Siena) it pays greater attention to the overall composition. The distribution of space is regular and the surroundings simple; the figures are felicitously placed between the transparency of the sea and the gold of the sky.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 3 minutes):

Guillaume Dufay: Aurea luce, hymn for the feast of Sts Peter and Paul

As in the gospel, the group of Pharisees, animated by lively gestures (again the hand with pointing finger), is depicted outside the building: the Jews avoid going inside in order not to be defiled and to be able to eat the Passover meal.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom row on the right side above the scene of Pilate’s First Interrogation of Christ.

The surroundings for the scenes in which Pilate appears (Christ Accused by the Pharisees and Pilate’s First Interrogation of Christ) are new since the events take place in the governor’s palace. The slender spiral columns of white marble and the decoration carved along the top of the walls seem to refer to classical architecture. Pilate too, portrayed with the solemnity of a Roman emperor and crowned with a laurel wreath, evokes the world of classical antiquity. It is interesting to note how the latter’s face still bears the slashings caused by medieval religious fervour. The function of the beams placed on the capitals supporting a light and apparently unstable wooden roof is harder to explain.

As in the gospel, the group of Pharisees, animated by lively gestures (again the hand with pointing finger), is depicted outside the building: the Jews avoid going inside in order not to be defiled and to be able to eat the Passover meal. In the upper scene, an overwhelming aura of solitude surrounds Christ.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom row on the right side below the scene of Christ Mocked.

According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the compartment should be read from the bottom upwards. The scenes Christ before Caiaphas and Christ Mocked take place in the same surroundings, the lawcourt of the Sanhedrin, where Christ is brought before the High Priest Caiaphas and the Elders.

In Christ Before Caiaphas, great importance is given to the person with raised hand and pointing finger looking significantly at the onlooker; the affronted gesture, isolated among a crowd of helmets and anonymous faces, catches the attention of the viewer. Caiaphas too is depicted in an attitude of wrath and indignation at the words of Jesus: with his hands on his breast he tears his red robes, showing the tunic underneath (this detail is told by Matthew and Mark).

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the upper row on the left side below the scene of Pilate’s Second Interrogation of Christ.

Pilate, on learning that Jesus belonged to the jurisdiction of Herod, sent the prisoner to the king to be judged by him. After questioning Jesus and treating him with ridicule and contempt, Herod sent him back to the Roman governor dressed in a conspicuous garment, the white robe that distinguished lunatics. Action proceeds from the bottom upwards; in the lower scene a servant is holding out to Christ the robe which in the upper scene he is already wearing.

Outside the room, the cock painted at the top alludes to the second and third denials of Peter.

The detail shows the denial of Peter.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom row on the right side above the scene of Christ Before Caiaphas.

According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the compartment should be read from the bottom upwards. The scenes Christ before Caiaphas and Christ Mocked take place in the same surroundings, the lawcourt of the Sanhedrin, where Christ is brought before the High Priest Caiaphas and the Elders. Outside the room, the cock painted at the top alludes to the second and third denials of Peter.

Gestures are more agitated in the scene above where Christ blindfolded (according to the version in Mark and Luke) and immobile in his dark cloak, is mocked and beaten by the Pharisees.

The picture shows the right side of the scene: the flight of the apostles.

On the left Peter is cutting off the ear of the servant Malchus.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the centre of the bottom row above the scene of Agony in the Garden.

The Mount of Olives becomes the scene of unexpected agitation in Christ Taken Prisoner, containing three separate episodes: in the centre the kiss of Judas, to the left Peter cutting off the ear of the servant Malchus, to the right the flight of the apostles. The dramatic intensity of the scene, heightened by the crowded succession of spears, lanterns and torches, shows in the excited movements of the characters and the expressiveness of their faces. The landscape, after long being an anonymous feature of minor importance, takes on a new scenic role. The vegetation and rocky crags of Byzantine inspiration seem to be an integral part of the action: in the Agony in the Garden the three trees on the right isolate Christ, while in Christ Taken Prisoner they enclose the main episode, as if allowing the disciples to escape.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom row on the left side below the scene of the Betrayal by Judas.

Following the story in John again, the scenes succeed each other from the bottom upwards although occurring simultaneously. While Jesus is giving the new commandment to the apostles (now eleven), Judas betrays him for thirty pieces of silver. In Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles, his sideways position, shown up by the half-open door, is in contrast to the closeknit group of disciples. They are all turning the same way in thoughtful attitudes, the soft drapery of their coloured robes animating the whole scene. As in the Washing of the Feet and the Last Supper Duccio has avoided haloes since the conspicuous shape of the golden discs might have created an overpowering effect, besides taking up most of the space in the picture.

Once again urban architecture, accurate and regular in its structural lay-out, lends colour to the scenes.

This panel is on the back predella of the Maestà.

Christ is seated on the edge of a magnificent well made of green marble. The slender, statuesque figure of the Samaritan woman is apparent through the rippling surface of her garment. Once again urban architecture, accurate and regular in its structural lay-out, lends colour to the scene. In Christ and the Samaritan Woman the geometrical compactness of the city of Sichar and the well on which Christ is sitting are in contrast with the slight figure of the woman.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the upper row on the right side below the scene of The Three Marys at the Tomb.

The episode of the Christ in Limbo is not mentioned in the canonical gospels, but recounted in the apocryphal gospel of Nicodemus. It is an iconographic theme little diffused in Western painting, shows clear traces of Byzantine art in the abundant use of gold on Jesus’ robe and the unimaginative layout of the scene itself. Having burst open the gates of hell, Christ arrives in limbo to set his forefathers free: while helping Adam to rise, he treads on a hideous Satan, who lies vanquished and blind with rage.

The picture shows a conjectural reconstruction of the back of Duccio’s Maestà, with predella, pinnacles, and framing elements. The digitised reconstruction is by Lew Minter.

The picture shows a conjectural reconstruction of the front of Duccio’s Maestà, with predella, pinnacles, and framing elements. The digitised reconstruction is by Lew Minter.

This is a fragment of the panel of the central pediment of the Maestà.

The artist models the face and body of the Christ Child with the help of light and shade. His subtle chiaroscuro gradations help create a physically three-dimensional figure.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the upper row on the left side below the scene of Flagellation.

The composition adheres faithfully to the Bible text and the scene is illustrated in minute detail.

Recently the traditional attribution of this painting to Duccio is challenged, the names of Segna di Bonaventura and Ugolino di Nerio have been put forward as possible author.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 2 minutes):

Gregorian sequence

The slender, emaciated body of Christ hangs down heavily from the crossbeam on the Cross. Duccio has structured individual physical forms in a three-dimensional manner, by applying subtle colour modelling.. We can see Christ’s ribs standing out beneath his skin, and his navel sinking into his stomach-muscles. The sorrowing angels depicted above the cross offer us convincing evidence of the range of expressive gestures which were at Duccio’s disposal. The spectrum ranges from raised arms, through hands which cover eyes, to the tearing of clothes.

The fine modelling of the figure of Christ is reminiscent of the plasticism of Gothic ivories.

On the right, the priests and soldiers are shown mocking and insulting, with rough movements.

The close emotional relationship between Mary and St John finds clear expression in the intimate gesture of interlinked arms and hands. St John is clasping Mary’s right hand in his left in order to prevent her from toppling backwards, whilst her left hand is clutching his lower arm for support.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the centre of the upper row.

The emotional intensity of the Stories of the Passion, from Christ Taken Prisoner to the Way to Calvary, reaches its most dramatic moment in the Crucifixion which, placed in the middle of the upper row, dominates the whole of the back section. The slender cross stands out against the gold ground, dividing the crowd into two separate groups. On the left are Christ’s followers, subdued and orderly, their faces drawn with grief, amongst whom are Mary of Clopas, Mary Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene (dressed in red with her long hair unbound) and John the Evangelist. On the right, the priests and soldiers are shown mocking and insulting, with rough movements. The fine modelling of the figure of Christ is reminiscent of the plasticism of Gothic ivories, while the strong contrast of movement which opposes the characters has evident connections with the Crucifixion on the Cathedral pulpit, carved by Nicola Pisano from 1266-68. The surroundings are bare and scanty, the jagged rocks clearly alluding to Golgotha.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 2 minutes):

Gregorian sequence

Christ holds up the animula, the soul of Mary who has just died.

This scene is on one of the front crowning panels of the Maestà.

The moving scene of the Death shows a traditional approach drawn from Byzantine models, combined with freshness of composition. A multitude of haloed figures, orderly and dignified, recall the solemn court of heaven in the prospect. Only the apostles in the foreground, Peter and John, are portrayed in more spontaneous attitudes, while Christ holds up the animula, the soul of Mary who has just died.

In their severe,, three-tier arrangement and solemn stance, the Apostles and angels who have gathered around Mary’s bed recall the way Duccio depicted the heavenly royal household in the main picture of the Maestà.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the upper row on the right side below the scene of the Entombment.

The Deposition, with the same gold background as the Crucifixion (excluding any possibility of distraction), is represented as intense embracing. Joseph of Arimathaea and John support the lifeless body, while Nicodemus removes the nails from the feet and the Virgin reaches out yearningly to her son, looking into his closed eyes. One of the Marys holds Christ’s arm to her face, while the others, their hands covered by their veils, are tragic masks of grief. The little stream of blood under the cross, also present in the previous scene, has a dramatic realism.

Mary and Joseph, who have been desperately searching for the twelve-year-old Jesus, raise their hands towards him in a gesture of confused questioning.

The interior of the temple includes sophisticated details such as the four Cupids enclosed in little niches and the capitals of the slender pillars silhouetted against the gold background.

This is the last panel on the front predella of the Maestà following the standing image of Prophet Hosea.

The last compartment of the front predella is devoted to the Disputation with the Doctors, recounted both in the gospel according to Luke and in the apocryphal writings of Matthew and the Infancy of Christ. The interior of the temple, dominated by a gaily coloured floor (described by Brandi as a “Caucasian carpet”), includes sophisticated details such as the four Cupids enclosed in little niches and the capitals of the slender pillars silhouetted against the gold background.

The twelve-year-old Jesus is sitting on a marble step amongst a group of scribes. Mary and Joseph, who have been desperately searching for him, raise their hands towards him in a gesture of confused questioning.

This scene is on one of the back crowning panels of the Maestà. The Doubting St Thomas and the episode depicting The Funeral Procession on the front side are presumably the only pictures in the crowning panels which have retained their original hexagonal form.

The scene in which the doubting disciple, St Thomas, puts his fingers into Christ’s side-wound in order to confirm the Saviour’s identity, takes place in the same location as the preceding Appearance Behind Locked Doors. Inconsistencies in the spatial arrangement of the group of Apostles on the right make the figures appear to be hovering.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the upper row on the right side above the scene of the Deposition.

The same characters appear in the Entombment as in the Crucifixion (of the three women, the one with the blue garment is missing), all leaning over Christ’s body. Joseph arranges the shroud, John gently lifts Christ’s head, Mary kisses him for the last time. Only Mary Magdalene expresses her despair emotionally, lifting both her arms to heaven.

The small tree, withered and leafless, that shows behind Christ’s halo, is the fig-tree that Christ found without fruit. The depiction of the compact, polygonal marble building which dominates the silhouette of the city is probably based on historical or then contemporary central structures. It might be a recreation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem or of baptismal churches, such as the Baptistery in Florence.

The small tree, withered and leafless, that shows behind Christ’s halo, is the fig-tree that Christ found without fruit. The depiction of the compact, polygonal marble building which dominates the silhouette of the city is probably based on historical or then contemporary central structures. It might be a recreation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem or of baptismal churches, such as the Baptistery in Florence.

The way Duccio has depicted trees and grass in the foreground clearly shows how carefully he sought to convey different forms of plant as realistically as possible.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom left corner of the main section.

The scene depicts Christ riding on a donkey up to the city-gate of Jerusalem. Crowds of enthusiastic people are preparing a fitting welcome for him, as they lay down branches and clothes in his path.

The scene is unusual because of the attention given to the landscape, which is rich in detail. The paved road, the city gate with battlements, the wall embrasures, the slender towers rising up above and the polygonal building of white marble reproduce a remarkably realistic layout, both urbanistically and architecturally. The small tree, withered and leafless, that shows behind Christ’s halo, is the fig-tree that Christ found without fruit. Florens Deuchler has suggested that the literary source is a historical work of the first century A.D., the De Bello Judaico by Flavius Josephus which was well-known in the Middle Ages. The panel by Duccio is a faithful reproduction of the description of Jerusalem in Book V. Infrared photography during restoration has revealed several changes of mind regarding the area around the tree in the centre and the road.

The statues carved on the Cathedral fa�ade have been identified as the most likely models for the figures of the prophets. In spite of their small size they preserve a solemn aspect, and the linearity of contour is enhanced by the gleaming gold ground. Ezekiel’s scroll reads: “Porta haec clausa erit; non aperietur, et vir non transibit per eam” (Ezekiel 44, 2: This gate shall be kept shut: it shall not be opened, and no man may pass through it).

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the upper row on the left side above the scene of Crown of Thorns.

Considering that the Flagellation is barely mentioned in the gospels, the descriptive details show remarkable inventiveness, aimed at illustrating each moment of the Passion. The figure of Pilate disobeys all the rules of perspective: although obvious from the seat on which he is standing that he is inside the building, he manages to stretch his arm in front of the pillar, in a position parallel to the horizontal level of the floor.

This panel is on the front predella of the Maestà. The Flight into Egypt is flanked by the standing images of Prophets Jeremiah and Hosea.

The Flight into Egypt includes two scenes. The procession of Joseph and Mary, riding on a donkey with the Christ Child on her lap, moves forward. With both gaze and gesture, Joseph and the servant draw the viewer’s eye to Mary. The harsh rocky crags and small green trees are the background to the journey (the boy leading the donkey is not mentioned in the canonical gospels).

On the left is the figure of Joseph asleep. The writing on the scroll consisting of the words of the angel who appeared to him explains his warning dream: “Accipe puerum et matrem eius et fuge in Egitum” (Matthew 2, 13: Take the child and his mother and go into Egypt).

The Gualino Madonna and the Bologna altarpiece anticipate the skill Duccio was to show in modifying the traits of his teacher, softening the over-harsh contrasts of line and colour.

The detail shows the head of Christ.

The detail shows the blind man at the fountain.

The picture shows a detail of the architecture.

In the scene of the Healing of the Blind Man, there are at least two artists at work: Duccio was responsible for the design and part of the execution, for example the face of Christ. The draperies and the Apostles seem to have been painted by assistants. An unidentified painter, expert in the depiction of architecture, painted the buildings. He is probably Simone Martini, who almost certainly trained with Duccio; some of the architecture is very similar to that in Simone’s Blessed Agostino Novello Altarpiece.

This panel is on the back predella of the Maestà.

The use of space through a delicate balance of scene is to be found in the Healing of the Blind Man. The followers of Christ are grouped in front of a massive crenellated building, while the figure of the blind man, repeated in two distinct narrative moments, is placed in a more open area: the short stretch of road.

Hosea’s roll gives the following comment on the scene Flight into Egypt: “Ex Egipto vocavi filium meum” (Hosea 11, l: I have called my son out of Egypt).

The statues carved on the Cathedral fa�ade have been identified as the most likely models for the figures of the prophets. In spite of their small size they preserve a solemn aspect, and the linearity of contour is enhanced by the gleaming gold ground. The words written on the angel’s scroll are unfortunately illegible, but the prophet Isaiah’s can be read: “Ecce virgo concepiet et pariet filium et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel (Isaiah 7, 14: And a virgin will conceive and bear a son and his name will be Emmanuel).

The scene of the Massacre of the Innocents is fully explained in the scroll of the prophet Jeremiah, where one can read: “Vox in Rama audita est, ploratus et ululatus multus: Rachel plorans filios suos” (Jeremiah 31, 15: A cry is heard in Rama, a groaning and bitter lamentation: Rachel is weeping for her sons).

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 19 minutes):

Thomas Tallis: The Lamentations of Jeremiah

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom row on the right side of the main section above the scene of Peter First Denying Jesus.

Duccio uses the architectural forms of the room to divide up the crowd of figures and establish focal points of interest.

The picture shows two of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. The panel containing the scenes is situated in the bottom row of the right side of the main section.

The rule of absolute autonomy being given to each single scene is successfully broken in this panel. The two episodes, told by John, occur simultaneously but in different places and the stairs, a material link in space, also connect the time-factor. While Jesus is brought before the High Priest Annas, Peter remains in the courtyard where a servant-girl recognizes him as a friend of the accused: his raised hand indicates the words of denial.

The surroundings are full of vivid architectural detail: the doorway with a pointed arch opening onto the room with a porch, the Gothic window of the small balcony, the pilaster strips on the back wall of the upper floor and the coffered ceiling, this time with smaller squares. Peter, whose halo in a curious fashion includes the head and shoulders of the person next to him, is warming his feet at the fire in a highly realistic manner. Lastly, because of her vertical position and arm resting on the handrail, the figure of the serving-maid about to go up the stairs was evidently the cause of much indecision since several “changes of mind” have been discovered around the skirt.

The Last Supper is dominated by the central figure of Jesus who, to the astonishment of the onlookers, is offering bread to Judas Iscariot. An unusual experiment with space has been made with John, whose position is traditional: the head of the favourite disciple is painted in front of the figure of Christ, and his halo behind Christ’s shoulders. Wooden bowls, knives, a decorated jug and a meat dish, and the paschal lamb, are set on the table, which is covered with a simple tablecloth woven in a small diamond pattern.

The picture shows one of the 26 narrative scenes from the Stories of the Passion on the reverse side of the Maestà. It is situated in the bottom row on the left side below the scene of Washing of the Feet.

The Last Supper is dominated by the central figure of Jesus who, to the astonishment of the onlookers, is offering bread to Judas Iscariot (shown in other panels with the same features). An unusual experiment with space has been made with John, whose position is traditional: the head of the favourite disciple is painted in front of the figure of Christ, and his halo behind Christ’s shoulders. Wooden bowls, knives, a decorated jug and a meat dish, and the paschal lamb, are set on the table, which is covered with a simple tablecloth woven in a small diamond pattern.

Madonna of Buonconvento and the Crevole Madonna are unanimously considered the earliest works attributable to Duccio. The basic approach of the two paintings is of evident Byzantine tradition: the elegant stylization of the hands, the typical downward curving nose, the red maph�rion under Mary’s veil, the dark drapery animated by shining gilded lines. New details appear, to a lesser extent in the Buonconvento Madonna and repeated with greater confidence in the Crevole painting, such as the subtle play of light on the Virgin’s face, over her chin and cheeks, and a clear attempt at plasticism in the folds of the garment around the face.

The painting was executed together with Duccio’s master, Cimabue. The master-pupil relationship was established very early on, when the first scaffolding for the frescoes had already been erected in the Upper Church of San Francesco, and it ended during the time of closest collaboration, around 1283-84 when work had got as far as the vault of the Doctors. These are the most likely stages of their association: the Angel on the splay of the big window of the north transept in the Upper Church at Assisi, the Madonna in the Church of the Servites in Bologna, the Madonna Gualino in the Galleria Sabauda in Turin, the Madonna of Castelfiorentino, the Crucifix in the Odescalchi Collection, the Madonna in the Museo d’Arte Sacra of the Val d’Arbia in Buonconvento, the Crevole Madonna in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Siena, the Expulsion of the Forefathers and the Crucifixion in the third bay of the south wall of the Franciscan Basilica, two of the Winged Genii which occupy the four corners of the vault of the Doctors in Assisi.

Executed in a time-span of little more than five years, the paintings show strong stylistic affinities. In some cases (the Madonna in Bologna and the Madonna in Castelfiorentino) the painters seem to have achieved a real joint effort: the earlier style of the conception of these paintings suggests that the plan was Cimabue’s, while the luminous treatment of colour implies that Duccio executed the work.

In this panel, often referred to as the Stoclet Madonna after a former owner, the Virgin looks towards the Child seated in the crook of her arm as he reaches for her veil. This motif may reflect the medieval literary tradition identifying Christ’s loincloth with the Virgin’s veil, in which she wrapped the Child after his birth. The beautifully modelled drapery enhances their three-dimensional, physical presence and the parapet connects the fictive, sacred world of the painting with the temporal one of the viewer.

The painting is in an original frame, the bottom end of which is marked by candle burns.

Painted with the ‘Master of the Badia at Isola’. With regard to this anonymous master it is worth recording that in all probability he was at the beginning in such close relations with Duccio as to lend credibility to the opinion that Duccio’s hand can be detected in some of his early works. As an example can be cited the very beautiful Madonna no. 593 in the Pinacoteca of Siena whose face is really so close to Duccio’s Crevole Madonna that it could easily be attributed to him and dated to that period.

The Perugia Madonna, now in the local National Gallery, was kept perhaps ab antiquo up until 1863 in the monastery of San Domenico in Perugia, hung above the sacristy door or in the “Winter Choir”. It was ascribed to Duccio in 1911 and subsequent restoration revealed it to be the central panel of a dismantled polyptych.

The formal stylistic elements of the traditional half-length portrait of the Madonna and Child develop into the portrayal of a solid mother and son relationship, showing a greater naturalness of gesture. Remarkable spontaneity is shown in the movement of the Child who is sitting on his mother’s curved arm, clutching the soft folds of her veil. This detail in dress is of importance since it takes the place of the red Byzantine maph�rion, evidently considered old-fashioned by the painter. The Virgin’s gesture, showing the Child’s hand and pointing to his feet, is also significant: it seems to allude to the future Passion of Christ.

The original splendour of the painting is marred by its poor state of preservation, but although of high pictorial value it had no influence on local artistic production.

The Perugia Madonna, now in the local National Gallery, was kept perhaps ab antiquo up until 1863 in the monastery of San Domenico in Perugia, hung above the sacristy door or in the “Winter Choir”. It was ascribed to Duccio in 1911 and subsequent restoration revealed it to be the central panel of a dismantled polyptych.

The formal stylistic elements of the traditional half-length portrait of the Madonna and Child develop into the portrayal of a solid mother and son relationship, showing a greater naturalness of gesture. Remarkable spontaneity is shown in the movement of the Child who is sitting on his mother’s curved arm, clutching the soft folds of her veil. This detail in dress is of importance since it takes the place of the red Byzantine maph�rion, evidently considered old-fashioned by the painter. The Virgin’s gesture, showing the Child’s hand and pointing to his feet, is also significant: it seems to allude to the future Passion of Christ.

The original splendour of the painting is marred by its poor state of preservation, but although of high pictorial value it had no influence on local artistic production.

The Madonna of the Franciscans shows structural articulation, and was probably part of a diptych or triptych intended for private worship, perhaps of a small group of Friars Minor. Iconographically it follows the “Madonna of Mercy” type: while looking towards the spectator the Virgin holds back the edge of her robe the better to receive and protect the three kneeling friars, for whom the Child’s blessing is intended.

This elaborate intermingling of echoes from Cimabue and Byzantine art, with the added softness of Duccio’s personal touch, includes elements of the new artistic language from beyond the Alps. The tiny square panels of the backcloth, an innovation substituting the usual gold ground, are of clear French derivation. Thus, the measured breadth of contour, the sinuous curving of the robe’s hem and the smooth masses of colour form part of a wider spatial dimension, where the Gothic predilection for linearity and flowing outlines reaches its maximum expression. The features of the supplicating friars and the throne, a simple wooden seat placed obliquely to create an effect of perspective, reflect the teaching of Cimabue. The unusual posture of the Child’s legs belongs entirely to Duccio, however, who repeats the gestures of the early Madonna of Buonconvento and the Rucellai Madonna.

The detail shows the three kneeling friars, for whom the Child’s blessing is intended.

The Crevole Madonna and the Madonna of Buonconvento are unanimously considered the earliest works attributable to Duccio. The basic approach of the two paintings is of evident Byzantine tradition: the elegant stylisation of the hands, the typical downward curving nose, the red maph�rion under Mary’s veil, the dark drapery animated by shining gilded lines. New details appear, to a lesser extent in the Buonconvento Madonna and repeated with greater confidence in the Crevole painting, such as the subtle play of light on the Virgin’s face, over her chin and cheeks, and a clear attempt at plasticism in the folds of the garment around the face.

The more carefully considered composition of the Crevole Madonna shows a faint but decided French influence: the elegant forms of the angels in the upper corners, the veiled transparency of the Child’s garment, held up by a curious knotted cord, and most of all, the intimate gesture of the Infant Jesus, held in a tender embrace.

The Crevole Madonna and the Madonna of Buonconvento are unanimously considered the earliest works attributable to Duccio. The basic approach of the two paintings is of evident Byzantine tradition: the elegant stylization of the hands, the typical downward curving nose, the red maph�rion under Mary’s veil, the dark drapery animated by shining gilded lines. New details appear, to a lesser extent in the Buonconvento Madonna and repeated with greater confidence in the Crevole painting, such as the subtle play of light on the Virgin’s face, over her chin and cheeks, and a clear attempt at plasticism in the folds of the garment around the face.

The more carefully considered compositon of the Crevole Madonna shows a faint but decided French influence: the elegant forms of the angels in the upper corners, the veiled transparency of the Child’s garment, held up by a curious knotted cord, and most of all, the intimate gesture of the Infant Jesus, held in a tender embrace.

Painted with Cimabue.The Bologna altarpiece and the Gualino Madonna anticipate the skill Duccio was to show in modifying the traits of his teacher, softening the over-harsh contrasts of line and colour.

A feeling of tenderness permeates the radiant Madonna of Bern, where the Virgin and Child are portrayed in a loving embrace. The gesture of intimate affection is taken from Byzantine iconography, from the motif of the Glykophilousa, in which Mary, with a presentiment of the sad future, clasps the Infant Jesus urgently to her breast. A closer reference can be seen in the Madonna in Bologna on which Duccio worked as an assistant of Cimabue, but its size and the barely indicated gesture greatly reduce the sense of intimate tenderness. The typology of the throne, decorated with Cosmati-like inlays and already experimented in several variations in the window of the apse, follows the lines of Gothic architecture, while the characteristic curling edge of Mary’s dress evens out into a smooth gilt border.

The Madonna appears on the panel as the Queen of the Heaven and Siena. In the foreground the four patron saints of Siena are kneeling: Sts Ansanus, Savinus, Crescentius and Victor. The Latin inscription on the base of the throne contains the name of the painter.

The movements of the heavenly court are articulated with subtle symmetry: the characters surrounding the Virgin are divided into two ranks by the throne, which is the central axis of the entire composition. The mirror-like correspondence of the two sides is broken up by tiny details (the gestures of the saints or the glance of an angel).

Next to the angels, from left to right, are saints Catherine of Alexandria, Paul, John the Evangelist (left side), John the Baptist, Peter, and Agnes (right side), recognizable by their symbols and names painted on the lower edge (the inscriptions are missing only for Paul and Peter). On the bottom row are the four patron saints, also identifiable by their names: Ansano, baptizer of the Sienese and decapitated in the Val d’Arbia in the fourth century; Savino, a martyred bishop (left side); Crescenzio, a boy martyred under Diocletian, whose remains were transferred to the Cathedral in 1058; Victor, a Christian soldier, native of Syria, proclaimed patron after 1288 (right side).

Above, in little arches whose frames have been lost, are the apostles distinguished by their abbreviated names against the gold background. Again from left, they are, Thaddeus, Simon, Philip, James the Great, Andrew (left side), Matthew, James the Less, Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthias (right side). The use of gold as a precious complement to the glorification of Mary is essential. The background, the haloes, the garments of the Child, of Catherine, Savino, and Agnes, the cloth covering the back of the throne and the Cosmatesque inlays of the latter, all dazzle the onlooker with their splendid glitter. The fabric of the garments and the backcloth axe embroidered with a continuous small golden pattern which gives the effect of real material. Little space is left for the use of other colours.

The detail shows the left part of the main panel on the front side of the altarpiece.

The detail shows the right part of the main panel on the front side of the altarpiece.

The detail shows a group of figures in the right part of the front main panel.

Duccio invented a new type of Madonna-picture by depicting Mary surrounded by a right-knit group of angels, saints and city patrons. The figures are connected to one another by the direction in which they are looking and by their gestures. They can be identified both by their attributes and from the names inscribed on the bottom edge of the picture.

Her extraordinary size proclaims Mary as the unchallenged protagonist of the panel, even in respect of the Child, who is neither making a gesture of benediction nor turning towards his mother but is silently watching the faithful.

Her extraordinary size proclaims Mary as the unchallenged protagonist of the panel, even in respect of the Child, who is neither making a gesture of benediction nor turning towards his mother but is silently watching the faithful.

In this depiction, the Child is neither making a gesture of benediction nor turning towards his mother but is silently watching the faithful. Duccio has painted the Christ Child’s garment in an especially elaborate and opulent way. The technical perfection of the painting is particularly apparent in the transparent undergarment, which allows the finely modelled body of the Child to shine through.

The detail represents St Victor, one of the patron saints of Siena.

The detail shows St Savino, one of the patron saints of Siena.

This detail shows St Catherine of Alexandria at the left side of the Maestà. As a princess, the saint wears a golden crown. The martyr’s palm branch is a symbol of the martyrdom she suffered under the Roman Emperor, Maxentius, in the 4th century AD.

The circular halo was incised with a pair of compasses. Embossing tools were used to etch the pattern into the gilded surface. These tools were rested vertically on the pictorial surface, then lightly tapped with a hammer. Since the plaster ground is flexible, the gold leaf did not tear.

This detail shows St Agnes on the right side of the Maestà. The saint is wearing a circular medallion depicting a lamb and a crucifix banner as symbols of Christ. This is a reference to St Agnes’s wish to be married to the Saviour. Apart from that, the lamb (Lat. ‘agnus’) alludes to her name.

The detail shows one of the angels on the front main panel of the Maestà. The angels’ adornment clearly shows us the elaborate gold embossing which helps make the front of the Maestà look so sumptuous. A complex pattern of blossoms, on a fluted ground, adorns the halo. The gold border of the angel’s garment has costly ornaments which stand out three-dimensionally.

Above the main picture, a painted arcaded gallery extends both sides of the throne. In its semi-circular arches, half-length figures of Apostles are depicted. The frieze-like line of Christ’s disciples gives the impression that they are all looking down from above on the events, in which two of them - St Peter and St John are taking part. In contrast to identification by Characteristic attributes - usual from the thirteenth century onwards - here the Apostles follow an even older tradition, and can be identified only by their abbreviated names.

The picture shows the left part of this gallery, the figures are (from the left) Judas Thaddeus, St Simon, St Philip, St Jacob the Elder, and St Andrew.

Above the main picture, a painted arcaded gallery extends both sides of the throne. In its semi-circular arches, half-length figures of Apostles are depicted. The frieze-like line of Christ’s disciples gives the impression that they are all looking down from above on the events, in which two of them - St Peter and St John are taking part. In contrast to identification by Characteristic attributes - usual from the thirteenth century onwards - here the Apostles follow an even older tradition, and can be identified only by their abbreviated names.

The picture shows the right part of this gallery, the figures are (from the left) St Matthew, St Jacob the Younger, St Bartholomew, St Thomas, and St Matthias.