Date of Award
2024
Degree Name
Master of Arts (Thesis)
Schools and Centres
Arts & Sciences
First Supervisor
Associate Professor Karen McCluskey
Second Supervisor
Professor Renee Kohler-Ryan
Abstract
This thesis examines charity as a key element of early modern experience in the context of the Pizzicaiuoli altarpiece (1447). Painted by well-known artist Giovanni di Paolo, the altarpiece was commissioned by the Sienese guild of grocers, the Pizzicaiuoli, and was situated in the church of the Santissima Annunziata, located in the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena. The central focus of the altarpiece is the main panel depicting the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Presentation), which is surrounded by iconic images of saints. Below the Presentation scene, in a predella (the lowermost horizontal component of the altarpiece), is a hagiographic narrative relating to the native beata (blessed) Catherine of Siena. Although small in size, Catherine’s images were an important focus of devotion and continue to offer key information about the nature of her reception in the early modern period. Following a close visual analysis of the altarpiece, this thesis argues that the Catherine narrative had a direct thematic relationship to the main panel, with both the former and latter framed predominantly within the context of charity. Given the prominence of Catherine and the concept of charity in this artwork, it seems evident that both held substantial importance in the lives and mission of the Pizzicaiuoli. Consequently, this thesis employs the lens of lived religion to understand how charity was perceived within the structures of devotion and everyday life in this specific context. By shifting the focus of interrogation from the altarpiece itself to its patrons and viewers, this study will shed light on this elusive group of people – the Pizzicaiuoli guild – their interaction with the altarpiece and the altarpiece’s impact on their religious behaviour and actions. Finally, this thesis will demonstrate the effectiveness of art as a tool for unveiling crucial insights into the lived religious experience of past societies.
Publication Details
Nolan, S. A. (2024). Living Charity: Beata Caterina, the Pizzicaiuoli Altarpiece and Lived Religion in Fifteenth-Century Siena [Master of Arts (Thesis)]. The University of Notre Dame Australia. https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/theses/434