Artwork
Pinnacle with Angel
Pinnacle with Angel is an unspecified painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Niccolò di Segna. It dates from 1340 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work titled 'Pinnacle with Angel' shows a solitary angel poised atop a raised architectural platform, a motif that signals the height of spiritual revelation. In the composition the angel’s outstretched wings and upward gaze convey the role of messenger who bridges heaven and earth, while the pinnacle functions as a visual metaphor for the apex of divine order. The painting’s religious context, produced in Siena around 1340 for the Cleveland Museum of Art, emphasizes a hierarchical cosmos in which the highest point signifies God’s authority and the promise of salvation.
History & Provenance
The painting Pinnacle with Angel by Niccolò di Segna is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland.
Pinnacle with Angel was painted by the Sienese artist Niccolò di Segna around 1340, likely in his native Siena. The work is a small religious painting measuring 30.5 cm high and 22.7 cm wide. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1962, where it is recorded under accession number 1962.257.1 and remains in the museum’s collection. No earlier ownership records or commission details are documented in the available sources known.
The painting Pinnacle with Angel by Niccolò di Segna is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. The work entered the museum's holdings under the accession number 1962.257.1. Created in 1340 in Siena, this religious panel measures 30.5 cm in height and 22.7 cm in width.
The provided sources do not contain information regarding specific exhibitions where the work has been displayed.
Legacy
Pinnacle with Angel is a 14th‑century Sienese religious painting attributed to Niccolò di Segna, dated to 1340 and housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work measures 30.5 cm by 22.7 cm and exemplifies the devotional style of early Italian art. Its presence in a prominent U.S. museum has facilitated ongoing scholarly examination of di Segna’s role in the development of panel painting, reinforcing his reputation within the study of medieval Italian art.
Overview
Niccolò di Segna, a Sienese painter active from 1331 until his death around 1348, created Pinnacle with Angel approximately in 1340. This painting exemplifies the Italo-Byzantine tradition and the artistic currents of the Sienese School. The work, a religious depiction, is currently housed in The Cleveland Museum of Art, offering insight into early Italian devotional art from the mid-14th century.
Technique & Style
Niccolò di Segna's style reflects his Sienese School training, which integrated the elegant forms of Gothic art with the rich, symbolic qualities of Byzantine aesthetics. The use of a prominent gold background and simple, clear shapes is typical of early religious painting. Careful manipulation of light and shadow, suggested by the luminous gold and the figure's calm expression, enhances the spiritual quality of the depiction.
Context
As a member of the Sienese School, Niccolò di Segna operated within a vibrant artistic milieu. His work, including Pinnacle with Angel, demonstrates the influence of prominent predecessors such as Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini. This lineage is evident in the painting's blend of refined draftsmanship and spiritual intensity, hallmarks of the Sienese tradition during the first half of the 14th century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Niccolò di Segna (died around 1348) was an Italian painter from Siena. His activity is documented starting from 1331. Influenced by Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini, he was an exponent of the Sienese School. He…
