Battle of San Romano

The Bataille of San Romano is a work of the painter Paolo Uccello, painted in three panels of approximately 3 m X 2 m, about 1456.

Ordered initially by the family Bartolini Salimbeni, the project is taken again then, with died of the household head, by Laurent de Médicis, to decorate the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi with Florence.

The three panels represent three scenes of the same battle of the history of Florence, the famous combat where the Florentin S and their chief Niccolo da Tolentino demolished the Siennois ordered by Bernardino della Ciarda, on June 1st, 1432.

The three panels of the episodes of this battle are distributed today in three countries:

in England with the National Gallery of London, ( Niccolo Mauruzi da Tolentino with the head of its troops )
in France with the museum of Louvre of Paris, ( the decisive counter-attack of Micheletto Attendolo da Cotignola )
in Italy with the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, ( the defeat of the Sienan camp illustrated by the setting out of combat of Bernardino della Ciarda )

Subject

The battle of San Romano opposes Florentins and Siennois, in June 1432, in Torre San Romano.

The fall of horse of Bernardino della Ciarda, chief of the Sienan army, signs the defeat of the Sienans and mark the end of the engagements.

Composition

This work is carried out in several panels independent representing three capital episodes of the battle:

Niccolo Mauruzi da Tolentino with the head of its troops , (~1456) oil on wood of 3,20 m X 1,82 m (National Gallery)
the decisive counter-attack of Micheletto Attendolo da Cotignola , (~1456) oil on wood of 3,15 m X 1,80 m (museum of Louvre)
the defeat of the Sienan camp illustrated by the setting out of combat of Bernardino della Ciarda , (~1456) oil on wood of 3,23 m X 1,82 m (Gallery of the Offices of Florence) only signed panel.

The painter exalte here the military action and political and personality of the Condottiere, in the great tradition of Pietro Lorenzetti.

It uses of its privileged objects: The mazzocchio , Florentin cover-chief of wood and wicker and horses, symbol of the tournaments which forge the military virtues, attributes of the caste of the knights still in force in the battles.

Analyzes

the three panels were intended initially for three walls of the same part to feed the effect of prospect by the pictorial distortions in returned elements that they comportent.
Of the questions are still posed on the position relative of three panels: The panel preserved at the Offices was (probably) the central panel, it is only signed besides auteur.
the clearness of the day evolving/moving between paddle, midday and evening could also guide the placement.
Raphaël Aubert the Battle of San Romano , novel, Vevey, Editions of the Surface, 1993,2006.

Random links: