Duccio di Buoninsegna

Duccio di Buoninsegna was an Italian painter born circa 1255 and died in 1319, hailing from the city of Siena. He is often regarded as a pivotal figure in the Sienese School and played a crucial role in the development of Italian Gothic art. Duccio's most renowned work, the Maestà, completed in 1311 for the Siena Cathedral, exemplifies his innovative approach to composition and narrative, blending Byzantine influences with a nascent naturalism. His contributions significantly impacted the trajectory of Western art, influencing contemporaries and subsequent generations of artists. Despite limited documentation of his life, Duccio's legacy endures through his profound influence on the stylistic evolution of Italian painting.