Scenes from a Legend; Coats of Arms

The painting Scenes from a Legend; Coats of Arms, attributed to the Master of Charles of Durazzo and executed in 1414, entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection and has been featured in scholarly exhibitions such as Italian Art: Loss and Survival and Florentine Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum.

Its inclusion in these shows reflects a sustained interest in early 15th‑century Italian panel painting and underscores the work’s relevance to studies of narrative imagery and heraldic representation.

The attribution to the Master of Charles of Durazzo, documented in both contemporary catalogues and modern scholarship, has contributed to the reconstruction of his oeuvre and to broader assessments of workshop practices in the Kingdom of Naples.

Created in 1414 by the artist known as the Master of Charles of Durazzo, Scenes from a Legend; Coats of Arms is a painting on wood. This artwork, now housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, presents a complex narrative across its surface. It depicts a dramatic sequence involving multiple figures, including a prominent man and woman, set against an architectural and natural backdrop.

The painting is divided into two distinct yet connected scenes. On the left, a chaotic struggle unfolds with figures on horseback and foot engaged in conflict and flight. To the right, a mounted man extends his arm towards a woman holding a child, observed by onlookers positioned within a building featuring tall windows and a castle-like tower.

The dual title suggests a narrative derived from a specific historical or mythical account, possibly involving heraldic elements.