Artists and Fame - Ambrogio Lorenzetti

Professional Reputation of Artists in the 14th Century

May 20, 2009

The Italian painter whose career demonstrates that artists of the Late Gothic period had begun to employ ingenious strategies to build their professional status.

Self-promotional devices used by Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1290-1348) of Siena, Italy, throughout his career prove that practitioners of art had started to assert their professional status as early as 14th century. Not only was Lorenzetti included in art historical writing of the Renaissance period, but he himself had employed a variety of advertising methods during the Late Gothic when he was active.

Lorenzetti's Biography

Ambrogio Lorenzetti enjoyed a great reputation during his lifetime. His biography and works were included in Vasari's Lives of the Artists which became one of the most influential written works on art history. The inclusion of Lorenzetti in the Lives secured his name and achievements to become known to the following generations. Ghiberti mentioned Lorenzetti in his Commentaries.

Emulating the Art of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire

The accounts of Ambrogio Lorenzetti's achievements were shaped by the fact that both, Vasari and Ghiberti were practising artists studying and emulating the artistic traditions of antiquity in their own works.Both praised Lorenzetti's narrative skills, multi-figural compositions and representation of human emotions as well as his technical skills. They also stressed his intellectual and theoretical interests. Their judgement of Lorenzetti's art was based on their own artistic interests and ambitions.

Lorenzetti's signatures are an example of the increasing practice of self-promotion. The signature on The Presentation in the Temple reads: Ambrogio, son of Lorenzo, from Siena made (this) work in the year of (our) lord, 1342. Many texts in Latin inscribed in his works reflect his focus on religious and learned themes and his ambition to present himself as an intellectual.

Patronage: Wealthy and Powerful Clients of Siena

The government of Siena commissioned Lorenzetti with decoration of Palazzo Pubblico, the Sienese town hall. This was a very prestigious commission since the town hall was the seat of the government and the focus of civic life. The Sala dei Nove was a significant meeting room of the city's magistrate.

Palazzo Pubblico and Learned Themes

The frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti of The Allegory of Good Government in the town hall's principal meeting room were the public statement of how the civic authorities aspire to govern. Lorenzetti executed a powerful statement on behalf of the city's authorities and at the same time presented himself as a learned man through the intellectual scheme of his fresco cycle.

The frescoes with the large Lorenzetti signature would have been seen by the Sienese as well as foreign guests and officials who could spread his name beyond his native city. After this successful project his reputation must have grown stronger because by 1347 he became involved in the Sienese government himself, as a member of a special committee concerning the city's constitution.

Self-Portrait

Commission for the Presentation in the Temple painting was equally significant. It was executed for one of the altars dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Siena Cathedral. Its original function was to celebrate the Virgin as the patron saint of Siena with emphasis on her role as the Mother of God. This was also to do with civic pride and promotion of the city as the Sienes claimed special protection for their city from the Virgin.

Lorenzetti included in the painting a Latin inscription stating his name. This way, he may have intended to secure not only his reputation as an artist, but also spiritual reward in the afterlife. Since the inscriptions in both works were in Latin, it has been suggested that he may have intended to address the educated and wealthy audience, thus possibly aspiring to secure their patronage.

The copyright of the article Artists and Fame - Ambrogio Lorenzetti in Renaissance Art is owned by Zuzana Minarikova. Permission to republish Artists and Fame - Ambrogio Lorenzetti in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.