Artwork
Saint Clare
Saint Clare is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Lippo Memmi. It dates from 1330 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The simple, frontal presentation emphasizes her exemplary life and the austere ideals of the religious order she established.
The panel depicts Clare of Assisi, an Italian nun and follower of Francis of Assisi who founded the Order of Poor Clares. She is shown in the white habit of the order, with a veil and a cord tied at the waist, holding a processional cross in her left hand and a lily in her right, a conventional pairing that signals her purity and devotion. The inclusion of the cross underscores her role as a spiritual leader within the Franciscan tradition, while the lily points to her association with chastity and sanctity.
The simple, frontal presentation emphasizes her exemplary life and the austere ideals of the religious order she established.
Technique & Style
Created in 1330 by Lippo Memmi, this religious painting depicts Clare of Assisi using tempera on a wooden panel. The work measures 39.4 cm in height and 19.1 cm in width. As a panel painting from the early fourteenth century, the piece utilizes traditional materials characteristic of the Sienese school during this period, combining pigment bound with egg on a rigid support.
History & Provenance
The panel painting Saint Clare, depicting Saint Clare of Assisi, was created by Lippo Memmi around 1330 using tempera on wood; its dimensions measure approximately 39.4 cm by 19.1 cm. The work has been part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York since its acquisition, where it remains on view. Its creation reflects early‑fourteenth‑century Franciscan devotion and the artistic practice of the Memmi workshop. The painting exemplifies the devotional style characteristic of Sienese influence in the early Trecento period.
The painting Saint Clare by Lippo Memmi, created in 1330, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, executed in tempera on panel, measures 39.4 cm in height and 19.1 cm in width. While the artwork depicts Clare of Assisi and is classified as religious art, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Furthermore, no information regarding the exhibition history of this specific panel is available in the current records.
Overview
Lippo Memmi, a prominent Sienese painter and a follower of Simone Martini, created Saint Clare around 1330. This tempera painting depicts a female saint, reflecting the Byzantine iconographic tradition prevalent in religious art of the era. The work is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant example of early 14th-century Italian devotional art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lippo Memmi (c. 1291 – 1356) was an Italian painter from Siena. He was the foremost follower of Simone Martini, who was his brother-in-law. Together with Martini, in 1333 he painted what is regarded as one of the…
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