The National Gallery, London has one of the greatest collections of European painting in the world. Every month, one of the pieces from its permanent collection features as exhibit of the month.
This month’s chosen painting is Paolo Uccello’s ‘The Battle of San Romano', dating back to the middle of the fifteenth century.
This egg tempera with walnut oil and linseed oil on poplar wood, measuring about 72” x 128”, is one of three panels portraying the battle of San Romano that was fought between Florence and Siena in 1432.
The central figure of the panel is Niccolò da Mauruzi da Tolentino on his white charger, the leader of the victorious Florentine forces, who is identifiable by the motif of 'Knot of Solomon' on his banner. The Bartolini Salimbeni family in Florence commissioned the panels sometime between 1435 and 1460.
Uccello has effectively used here the one point linear perspective, seen in the foreshortening of shapes and arrangement of broken lances.
If you are in London this month, go see it.
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