The Rout of Sanromano 1432 series by Paolo Uccello
painted in the 1440-50s

The Rout of Sanromano 1432 by Paolo Uccello. National Gallery, London

The leader of the victorious Florentine condottieri, Niccolo Mauruzi da Tolentino, armed only with his baton.

A larger version of The Rout of Sanromano 1432 by Paolo Uccello . A brighter scan of The Rout of Sanromano 1432 by Paolo Uccello

This brilliantly structured and colourful painting depicts part of the battle of San Romano that was fought between Florence and Siena in 1432. The central figure 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.

This panel is one of a set of three showing incidents from the same battle. The other two are in the Louvre, Paris, and the Uffizi, Florence. This painting and its two companion panels were commissioned by the Bartolini Salimbeni family in Florence sometime between 1435 and 1460: only the Uffizi panel is signed. Lorenzo de' Medici so coveted them that he had them forcibly removed to the Medici palace.

The pictures may originally have had arched tops designed to fit below Gothic vaults. They were made into rectangular panels in the 15th century, possibly by Uccello himself. Uccello was much preoccupied with one point linear perspective, seen here in the foreshortening of shapes and arrangement of broken lances.
Source: National Gallery, London

BATTLE OF SAN ROMANO
This famous picture by Paolo Ucello (1397–1475) shows the condottiere Niccolo da Tolentino leading the Florentine forces against Siena at the Battle of San Romano in 1432. The knights are wearing complete plate armor of the very latest fashion. Most are armed with lances, although on the right a knight is fighting with a war hammer. Note that the horses are completely unprotected. National Gallery, London.
Source: p.274, Medieval Weapons: An Illustrated History of Their Impact by Kelly DeVries & Robert D. Smith (2007)

Referenced by Trumpeters in Armies of the Middle Ages, volume 1 by Ian Heath:
"His trumpet is almost identical to those of trumpeters in Uccello's San Romano paintings, except that theirs have far bigger banners and the trumpeters themselves wear barbutes and plate armour under tabards"

Next painting of The Rout of Sanromano 1432 series by Paolo Uccello.
Back to Paintings of Italian Soldiers of the early to mid 15th Century

The Rout of Sanromano 1432 series by Paolo Uccello painted in the 1440-50s

The Rout of Sanromano 1432 series by Paolo Uccello
painted in the 1440-50s