Description
Saint Augustine is depicted as a bishop and teacher of the Church, with a mitre, crozier and red-covered book. His calm expression contrasts with the splendour of the ceremonial cope, decorated to resemble embroidery and precious stones. Beneath it, the black habit evokes the Augustinian tradition. The gold background and patterned halo reinforce the sacred character of the figure, while the carefully balanced gestures direct attention to his spiritual authority.
The panel once belonged to a five-part polyptych, probably intended for Sant’Agostino in San Gimignano. A Madonna and Child is thought to have occupied the centre, surrounded by several saints. The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge preserves three panels and attributes them to Simone Martini and his workshop around 1319. The painting is notable both for the refinement of Sienese craftsmanship and for its original place in a now dispersed altarpiece.
