tre santi dal polittico di san paolo 1389

Luca di Tommé painted this panel of one of three saints from the polyptych of San Paolo in the Sienese Trecento. It's tempera on wood, the favored medium of the time. The image presents a cultural artefact from a society deeply rooted in religious belief. The figure's serene countenance and the surrounding gold leaf evoke the divine and the sacred. Note how the keys held by the saint are visual codes indicating Saint Peter. The very creation of the panel speaks to the patronage system of the time, where religious institutions commissioned art to inspire devotion and to visually assert their authority. Understanding this work requires us to delve into the religious, social and institutional context of 14th-century Siena. Historical texts, religious documents, and records of artistic patronage will shed light on the painting's original function and meaning. It is through this detailed research that we can truly understand the cultural significance of art.