Sano di Pietro Annunciation angel CC0734 Sienese Postcard

Sano di Pietro (1405-1481) was an Italian painter of the Sienese school of painting. In the century before Sano's birth the Sienese school of painting had risen as a rival to that of the Florentines. The styles of the two schools were markedly different. The Sienese painting was said to be more fanciful and to personify dreams. The Sienese painters were also known for their vibrant colours and the richness of detail. They routinely used hues never seen in paintings before and the draperies of the clothing were elegant and numerous. The paintings are at once sumptuous yet ethereal. This lightness of being displayed in the figures and even the landscapes themselves is the final hallmark of a painting from the Sienese School.