St. Peter

This panel of Saint Peter by Lippo Memmi, painted around 1330, likely formed part of a polyptych altarpiece featuring individual saints in separate compartments, the standard format for Italian Gothic altarpieces. Lippo Memmi, Simone Martini's brother-in-law and closest collaborator, inherited the master's refined linear style and played a crucial role in disseminating Sienese Gothic aesthetics. Now at the Louvre, this image of the chief apostle displays the courtly elegance and devotional intensity that distinguished the Sienese school from its Florentine rival.

Executed in tempera and gold on panel, the figure of Saint Peter is rendered with Lippo's characteristic graceful linearity and restrained modeling. The elaborate gold tooling of the halo and background, combined with the subtle chromatic harmonies of the drapery, exemplify the refined craftsmanship of Sienese Trecento panel painting.