Spinello Aretino

Possibly from the altarpiece in San Ponziano, Lucca;

Bottenwisser collection, Berlin, 1928–29;

With Pieter de Boer, Amsterdam, 1929;

Shoeri collection, Zurich, by 1929.

R. van Marle, 'Ancora quadri senesi’, in La Diana: Rassegna d'arte e vita senese, VI, vol. 3, 1931, p. 170, reproduced fig. 6 (as Luca di Tommè);

M. Boskovits, ‘Ancora su Spinello: proposte e inediti’, in Antichità Viva: Rassegna d'arte, no. 2, Florence 1966, p. 23, reproduced figs 9–11 (assigned the panels to the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca);

A. Calderoni Masetti, Spinello Aretino giovane, Florence 1973, pp. 13–14 (assigned the panels to the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca);

S.A. Fehm, 'Notes on Spinello Aretino's so-called Monte Oliveto Altarpiece', in Mitteilungen des Kunsthistorischen Institutes in Florenz, XVII, 2–3, 1973, pp. 268–69, reproduced figs 21–23 (assigned the panels to his reconstruction of the altarpiece at Santa Maria Nuova, Rome);

M. Boskovits, Pittura Fiorentina alla vigilia del Rinascimento, 1370–1400, Florence 1975, p. 433 (remained more neutral and assigned the panels simply to 'an altarpiece');

J. Pope-Hennessy, The Robert Lehman Collection, Italian Paintings, I, New York 1987, p. 72, under no. 33 (suggested they may originate from the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca, or alternatively another altarpiece);

A. Tartuferi, ‘Spinello di Luca’, in M.T. Filieri (ed.), Sumptuosa tabula picta, Pittori a Lucca tra gotico e rinascimento, Livorno 1998, p. 140, under no. 2 (validated Boskovits' suggestion that the panels show a stylistic affinity with the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca);

A. González-Palacios, ‘Trattato di Lucca’, in M.T. Filieri (ed.), Sumptuosa tabula picta, Pittori a Lucca tra gotico e rinascimento, Livorno 1998, p. 18 (suggested that the panels may have been associated with the Lucchese triptych that comes from Santi Simone e Giuda, Lucca);

S. Weppelmann, Spinello Aretino und die toskanische Malerei des 14. Jahrhunderts, Florence 2003, pp. 139–40, no. 17, reproduced figs 17a–c (deemed it most likely that the panels belonged to the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca);

S. Weppelmann, ‘Spinello di Luca, detto Spinello Aretino’, in E. Capretti, Dagli eredi di Giotto al Primo Cinquecento, exh. cat., Florence 2007, pp. 36–37, reproduced figs 5–7 (deemed it most likely that the panels belonged to the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca);

S. Weppelmann, Spinello Aretino e la pittura del Trecento in Toscana, Florence 2011, pp. 137–38, no. 17, reproduced figs 17a–c (deemed it most likely that the panels belonged to the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca).

Although these three panels have been recognised as the work of Spinello Aretino since 1966,¹ scholars have continued to ponder the question as to which altarpiece they originally belonged. In his article of 1966, Dr Miklòs Boskovitz assigned the panels to the polyptych in San Ponziano, Lucca, on stylistic grounds.² He argued that the figures, in their cursive design and soft modelling, recalled those encountered in the panels associated with the San Ponziano painting. This view was upheld by Anna Rosa Calderoni Masetti in 1973.³ Sherwood A. Fehm, however, included the panels in his attempt to reconstruct the altarpiece at Santa Maria Nuova, Rome, on account of their dimensions, the profile and location of the fragments of their moulding, and the punchwork within the haloes and within the moulding.⁴ Presumably as a result of this divergence in opinion, subsequent scholars writing in the last quarter of the twentieth century remained more neutral as to the panels' original location. Boskowitz discussed the three paintings again in 1975, but on this occasion only mentioned them as parts of the pillars of 'an' altarpiece.⁵ In 1987, John Pope-Hennessy acknowledged the idea that they may originate from the San Ponziano painting, but qualified this by including 'some other altarpiece' as an alternative suggestion.⁶ Since then, with the exception of Alvar González-Palacios, who in 1998 intimated that the three saints may have been associated with the Lucchese triptych that comes from Santi Simone e Giuda,⁷ Lucca, the scholarly consensus has settled on the notion that the panels most likely belonged to the polyptych in San Ponziano.⁸ This view has been propagated most compellingly by Stefan Weppelmann, to whom we are grateful for his guidance in the cataloguing of this lot.

The saint depicted in the central panel can be identified as Saint Andrew, portrayed holding his attribute, a crucifix, in reference to the manner of his martyrdom. The other two figures, here flanking Saint Andrew, are more difficult to identify. Both are likely to be apostles.⁹ The figure presented here on the left has been painted holding a codex and in the other hand a writing pen, prompting some scholars to propose that he is Saint John the Evangelist.¹⁰ That he is turned to the left may suggest that he was perhaps inserted into the pillar on the far left of the altarpiece.¹¹ The other saint, depicted here on the right, presents fewer clues as to his identity. He holds his right arm close to his body, so that his elbow creates deep folds in his cloak, while his other hand is raised as if he is about to speak. This posture, as well as the direction of the saint's gaze, could indicate that this panel was meant for the right side of the altarpiece.¹²

As his name suggests, Spinello Aretino was born in Arezzo to Luca di Spinello, a Florentine goldsmith. He is thought to have been a precocious child who demonstrated his artistic talents early in life: according to Vasari, he had 'so much natural inclination to be a painter that, almost without a master and while still quite a child, he knew more than many who have practiced under the best teachers'.¹³ He received his early training in the shop of local painter, Andrea di Nerio, a follower of Maso di Banco and Buffalmacco. Arezzo was home to an important collection of sculptures by Andrea Pisano and paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti, both of whom would later influence the unique style of Spinello's religious pictures. 

In 1380, Spinello was documented in Lucca. The San Ponziano altarpiece was executed just a few years later, in 1383 or the early months of 1384. It is therefore an early work in the context of the artist's oeuvre, but is nonetheless counted among his finest accomplishments. 

¹ Boskovits 1966, p. 23, reproduced figs 9–11.

² Boskovits 1966, p. 23.

³ Calderoni Masetti 1973, pp. 13–14.

⁴ Fehm 1973, pp. 268–69, reproduced figs 21–23.

⁵ Boskovits 1975, p. 433.

⁶ Pope-Hennessy 1987, p. 72, under no. 33.

⁷ González-Palacios 1998, p. 18.

⁸ Tartuferi 1998, p. 140, under no. 2; Weppelmann 2003, pp. 139–40, no. 17, reproduced figs 17a–c; Weppelmann in Florence 2007, pp. 36–37, reproduced figs 5–7; Weppelmann 2011, pp. 137–38, no. 17, reproduced figs 17a–c.

⁹ Weppelmann 2011, p. 137.

¹⁰ Boskovits 1966, p. 23; Boskovits 1975, p. 433; Tartuferi 1998, p. 140; Weppelmann 2003, p. 139; Weppelmann 2011, p. 137.

¹¹ Weppelmann 2011, p. 137.

¹² Weppelmann 2011, p. 137.

¹³ G. Vasari, The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects, W. Gaunt (ed.), London 1963, I, pp. 174–75.