Fotoreproductie van detail van een fresco naar Simone Martini in de Santa Maria Novella te Florence, Italië 1857 - 1900

This is a photographic reproduction by Fratelli Alinari of a detail from a fresco by Simone Martini, made in Florence's Santa Maria Novella. The Alinari brothers, based in Florence, Italy, began their photography business in 1852, and became renowned for documenting Italian art and architecture. Here, Alinari captures a fragment of Martini's fresco cycle. Martini, working in the 14th century, was part of the Sienese school, known for its elegance and decorative style. Frescoes in churches like Santa Maria Novella served a didactic purpose, instructing the largely illiterate public in religious narratives and moral lessons. This photograph highlights the rising importance of photography in documenting and disseminating art, making it accessible beyond its original location. To fully understand this image, we might consult Alinari's photographic archive and Martini's biography. The meaning of art is contingent on the social and institutional contexts of its production and reception.