BASILICA OF SAN FRANCESCO, Lower Basilica Simone Martini

In the Chapel of San Martino, you can see the work of another artist from Siena, the exquisitely talented Simone Martini, a competitor of Pietro Lorenzetti and the painter of the finest cycle of frescoes in the whole basilica. Start by taking in the paintings as a whole: you’ll be struck by their extraordinary elegance and sophistication, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in some royal court rather than the church of the “poor man of Assisi”.

Now look at the scenes one by one. I’ll be pointing out a few details of each one.

In “Saint Martin and the Beggar”, the curls of the horse’s mane seem to have been styled by a top-class hairdresser;

On the bed of the “Dream of Saint Ambrose”, the light glides across the checkered blanket, and at the foot is a sturdy trunk for keeping valuable objects;

In "Investiture as a Knight”, just look at the inspired expressions, and the clothing of the groups of musicians and falconers;

In "Saint Martin Renounces his Weapons”, marvel at the incredible concentration of enemies lying in wait behind the mountains;...