Scenes from the Life of St Thomas 

Luca di Tommé painted this panel showing scenes from the life of St. Thomas in Siena, Italy, sometime in the mid-14th century. The painting depicts two episodes from the life of Saint Thomas Becket. On the left, we see Thomas in his chamber, while on the right, he is being martyred. The painter was working in a deeply religious society, and for such a society, religious art played a crucial role in shaping social values. This panel, and others like it, would have served to promote the Church’s teachings. The style of painting is known as the Sienese School, which flourished at this time. This style is characterized by its elegant, elongated figures, its rich colors, and its decorative patterns. The Sienese School was deeply conservative, harking back to the art of Byzantine. To understand the importance of this work, we need to look to the historical sources, as well as the cultural and social context in which it was made.