Artwork
Saint Simon
Saint Simon is a tempera painting by the Sienese School artist Simone Martini. It dates from 1318 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on the left side of the Saint: SAN[C]TUS; on the right side of the Saint: SYMON
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created circa 1318 by Simone Martini, this tempera panel depicts Simon the Zealot, also known as Saint Simon.
Created circa 1318 by Simone Martini, this tempera panel depicts Simon the Zealot, also known as Saint Simon. As a component of a larger religious series, the work functions as a devotional bust-length portrait intended to represent the specific apostle within a sacred context. The image serves as a visual identification of the saint, adhering to the conventions of early fourteenth-century Italian religious art where individual holy figures were rendered for veneration or inclusion in complex altarpiece structures.
While the specific attributes or symbolic objects held by the figure are not detailed in the available records, the primary meaning of the piece lies in its role as a recognizable likeness of the apostle within the Christian tradition.
Technique & Style
Simone Martini's Saint Simon is executed in tempera on a wooden panel, a characteristic medium and support for early fourteenth-century Italian painting. Finely ground pigments suspended in egg yolk are applied in thin, translucent layers over a gold ground to achieve luminous color and subtle modeling. The handling reflects Martini's Sienese Gothic style, with elongated proportions, graceful contours, and a restrained palette aligned with the period's emphasis on elegance and spiritual idealism.
History & Provenance
Saint Simon by Simone Martini is dated circa 1318, aligning with the artist's Sienese period. The panel formed part of a larger polyptych. Between 1832 and 1842, Johann Anton Ramboux acquired the work in Siena alongside six other panels from the same series.
By 1867 the group was sold at Ramboux's estate sale in Cologne as works by Lippo Memmi and purchased by the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, which deaccessioned the series in 1922–1923.
Four panels, including Saint Simon, were acquired by Philip Lehman in New York by 1928, transferred to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in June 1943, and gifted to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in 1952, where the panel is accessioned as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection (inventory number 1952.5.23).
Context
Simone Martini's Saint Simon, painted circa 1318 in tempera on panel, belongs to a series of religious panels originally assembled by collector Johann Anton Ramboux in Siena and later dispersed, with four panels entering the National Gallery of Art via the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. The work depicts the biblical figure Simon the Zealot and exemplifies early Trecento Sienese painting, reflecting Martini's role in shaping Italian Gothic art. Scholars view the series as a key example of devotional imagery that bridges Byzantine tradition and naturalistic representation, underscoring Martini's significance within the broader narrative of early Italian art.
Overview
Simone Martini's painting, titled Saint Simon, dates to approximately 1318. Executed in tempera on panel, this work portrays Simon the Zealot, one of the twelve apostles. The composition focuses on the figure, rendered with a solemn demeanor, against a luminous background, characteristic of early Italian Renaissance devotional art.
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