Artwork
Saints Augustine and Peter (left panel)
Saints Augustine and Peter (left panel) is an unspecified painting by the Sienese School artist Niccolò di Ser Sozzo Tegliaccio. It dates from 1358 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Created circa 1358, this panel by Niccolò di Ser Sozzo belongs to the Sienese tradition of 14th‑century devotional painting.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1358, this panel by Niccolò di Ser Sozzo belongs to the Sienese tradition of 14th‑century devotional painting. Executed in tempera on wood, it presents the saints Augustine and Peter against a luminous gold ground, a typical backdrop for sacred figures in the period.
Subject & Meaning
The left figure, identified as Augustine, is shown in a long robe crowned with a mitre and holding a white staff, symbols of his episcopal authority. To his right, Peter wears a red habit with a blue sash, clutching a book and gesturing outward, emphasizing his role as teacher and apostolic founder.
Technique & Style
Niccolò employs the flat, vivid coloration characteristic of the Sienese school, with little modeling or chiaroscuro. The gold leaf background creates a radiant halo that isolates the saints, while the crisp outlines and decorative details reflect the influence of earlier masters such as Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers.
History & Provenance
The panel entered the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as part of its collection of Italian medieval art. Its provenance before acquisition is not fully documented, but it likely remained in private or ecclesiastical hands in Siena until the 19th‑century art market.
Context
During the mid‑1300s Siena produced numerous small devotional panels intended for private prayer or chapel altars. Niccolò, also known for manuscript illumination, applied his experience with intricate detail to panel painting, integrating narrative elements within a compact format.
Artist & collection
Artist
Niccolò di Ser Sozzo Tegliaccio
Niccolò di Ser Sozzo (fl. 1334–63) was an Italian painter and manuscript illuminator. He generally has been identified as Niccolò di Ser Sozzo di Francesco Tegliacci, but recent research points instead to a Niccolò di…
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