Renaissance Siena

"The Renaissance in Siena was deliberately shaped and sustained to provide an artistic language for an ambitious and proudly independent city, and was fueled by the patronage of powerful institutions and wealthy families during a period of fascinating power shifts." "Artists such as Francesco di Giorgio, Matteo di Giovanni, Neroccio de' Landi and Domenico Beccafumi drew on the famed elegant and decorative legacy established by Sienese artists Duccio, Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti Brothers a century and a half earlier. This new generation used a consciously reverential style to depict distinctively Sienese subjects and icons. At the same time, these artists embraced the naturalistic trends introduced by outside artists - such as Signorelli, Pintoricchio and Raphael - working on local civic projects." "This illustrated account brings together paintings, sculpture, ceramics and works on paper, and showcases one of the most distinct and beautiful schools of Italian art."--Jacket.