MUSEO DI CAPODIMONTE, The 15Th Century

Now let me tell you about some of the paintings that you absolutely must see while here at the Galleries of Capodimonte.

An absolute masterpiece of international Gothic painting is the large, shining panel by Simone Martini depicting St. Louis of Toulouse on the Throne.

In 1317 the Sienese painter was named a Knight by the King of Naples, Robert of Anjou: the panel apparently celebrates a saint who had been canonized that same year, but as Louis was the heir to the throne and had abdicated in favor of his brother Robert, the painting is actually a political manifesto that aims to legitimize the Angevin power. Never has a painting had such an explicit aim of propaganda. In fact,  you can see Robert together with the saint in the act of receiving the crown from Louis's hands: just think, this is the first realistic portrait of a living character in Italian painting! Carefully admire the five paintings on the bottom as well, because architectural views are depicted as a viewer would see them if he were standing at the exact center of the painting!

Now go to the fifteenth-century section: Capodimonte has some absolute masterpieces from this period....