The article delves into the history of medieval Siena, emphasizing its peak artistic and economic prosperity beginning in 1226, coinciding with the construction of its magnificent cathedral. The author notes how this Gothic structure reflects the city's ambition, especially before the devastating effects of the Black Death in the 1350s, which drastically reduced Siena's population and diminished its wealth. The omnipresent figure of the Virgin Mary in Sienese art symbolizes the city's oligarchic structure while illustrating its profound cultural identity during this transformative period.
The extravagance of it: to appreciate the cathedral's ambition, one must unlearn established conventions seen in later buildings like Florence's duomos and Rome's St Peter's.
By the 1350s, Siena's glorious years were eclipsed by the Black Death, which halved the city's population and dulled its radiant wealth and ambitions.
One of Siena's more daring architectural plans was to convert the existing cathedral into a transept, adding an oversized nave, which left only ghostly unfinished arches.
Siena's art is dominated by representations of the Virgin Mary, reflecting the city's oligarchic nature, yet she remains an omnipresent figure in works from this era.
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