Description
The Virgin Mary holds out her dark mantle to shelter a crowd of people seeking her protection. Clerics, members of religious orders and laypeople appear together beneath her arms. Her imposing red figure and protective gesture give visible form to the idea of mercy.
Now in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Siena, the panel came from San Bartolomeo at Vertine. It is linked to Simone Martini’s early activity and the artistic circle of Memmo di Filippuccio, although the precise division of hands remains debated.
The Christ Child is absent: her role here is that of an intercessor and protector of a community. The worshippers display a striking range of social identities. Head coverings, monastic habits, clerical dress and veils distinguish different groups, but they cannot be used to name particular historical people.
