by Mauro Civai

The construction of the Palazzo Pubblico

The construction of the Palazzo Pubblico demonstrated an intense commitment during a relatively short period (1297-1308) that resulted in one of the most elegant and functional buildings of all time, notable for its harmonious, almost symbiotic, relationship with its surroundings. Once this fundamental phase had been completed, the same energies and motivations were applied to the internal spaces.

If the XIII century was the period in which Siena experienced the extraordinary development of its economy and civilization, during which great episodes (both terrible and glorious) marked the history of the city with indelible signs, the XIV century can be seen as the period of stabilization of the Sienan model that, through its artists and painters, demonstrated a remarkable expertise in illustrating the city’s history, celebrating and immortalizing past events.

The frescoes from the XIV century

The Palazzo Pubblico was the location in which the Sienan civilization managed to best express the significant features of each age, from the Madonna in “Maestà” di Simone Martini that has, for seven centuries, guarded over Siena’s governors and ensured that they treat their citizens with justice and balance, to the almost metaphysical cavalcade of Guidoriccio across a battlefield pacified by his victory over the rebels, to the complex message of the “Buongoverno”, the wise and venerable old man that, thanks to the army of Christian virtue, managed to guarantee the city and his campaign a fruitful and serene life

The following works

Beginning with the mediaeval purveyors and the artists that they employed who left behind a magnificent legacy of great works of Sienan art in the Palazzo Pubblico, the following periods have included individuals who have continued to add to the work of their forebears, further enriching the collection. These periods include the extraordinary works of Vecchietta, Sodoma, Domenico Beccafumi, of the baroque Vanni and Salimbeni, and the purists Cassioli and Maccari that in each period have contributed to the accumulation of a testimonial treasure of art that has made the Palazzo Pubblico of Siena one of the most significant cultural centres anywhere in the world. This stunning legacy has elicited a deep commitment by its custodians to maximize the potential of these works. Using technology and contemporary knowledge, supported by science, the modern restorers have placed themselves at the service of these works of art of fundamental value, in order to guarantee that we are able to pass these treasures on to our descendants in a condition, at least equal to that in which we have received them.