Studies on Sienese colored wood sculpture in Fifteenth Century -its relation with the pictorial representations and its social role-

2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15520080
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aesthetics/Art history
• Research Institution: Chiba Unviersity
• Principal Investigator: UEMURA Kiyoo Chiba University, Faculty of Letters, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (60344959)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2004
• Keywords: Renaissance / Siena / colored wood sculpture / Neroccio dei Landi / pictorial representations and sculptural representations / Francesco di Valdambrino / Jacopo della Quercia / Domenico di Niccolo'dei Cori

Research Abstract

From 2004 to 2005, I have concentrated on gathering fundamental data on Sienese colored wood sculpture as well as contemporary paintings which show a close relationship with these sculptures, profiting by studies (for example, "La Scultura lignea italiana dal XII al XVI secolo" by Enzo Carli, published in 1960) and exhibition catalogues and photographic materials on recently-collected wood sculpture.
In Italy, I did a survey of the bibliographic and photographic materials on Sienese colored wood sculpture in Kunsthistorisches Institut at Florence, Soprintendeaza per il patrimonio storico, artistico e demoetonoantropologo di Siena e Grosseto, and University of Siena. I also made close observation and study of some exemplary Fifteenth Century Sienese wood sculpture in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello at Florence and elsewhere.
With Dr.Alessandro Bagnoli, inspector of Soprintendenza di Siena e Grosseto, Dr.Alessandro Angelini, and Dr.Roberto Bartalini, associate professors of University of Siena, I exchanged opinions on Sienese colored wood sculpture generally, and more specifically on some individual sculptures : for example, "Il Cavaliere di San Cassiano," an equestrian sculpture on which scholars are divided over whether Jacopo della Quercia or his assistant Francesco di Valdambrino was the author, and "Arcangelo Gabrieli," executed by Neroccio dei Landi who is also famous for his activities as painter.
At Pisa and at Lucca, cities in Tuscany Region in Cental Italy where Siena is located, excellent wood sculptures which show a close connection with Sienese Art flourished. Recent publications and exhibitions present to us the fruits of significant advances in the scholarship on colored wood sculpture at Pisa and Lucca. Paying special attention to these contributions, I studied the artistic formation of Jacopo della Quercia and of Francesco di Valdambrino, colored wood sculptures by Domenico di Niccolo'dei Cori and by Il Vecchietta, the characteristics of wood sculptures and paintings executed by Neroccio dei Landi in the period of his collaboration with Francesco di Giorgio who was active as painter, sculptor and architect. These research activities inform the final report I have written and published on the development of Sienese colored wood sculpture in the Fifteenth Century, its relations with the pictorial representations, and how it has been received in social context at Siena.