Frescoes in the Pellegrinaio, Siena (1440-44)

The hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena was one of the largest and most famous of its kind in medieval Italy, with branches in many other towns. It was run by a brotherhood that was an offshoot of the Augustinian order. The hall known as the Pellegrinaio, a fourteenth-century long vaulted hall, is on the ground floor of the hospital. We have no information about the original function of the hall which today comprises six bays The name suggests that it served primarily as shelter for the countless pilgrims ('pellegrini') who stopped over in Siena. It was later used as infirmary.

The hall was probably built in 1327. That time it consisted of only five bays. The hall was extended to the south by one by in 1577. The Pellegrinaio functioned as an infirmary up until 1975. It was not until 1995 that the hospital's medieval buildings were turned into museums.

The decoration with frescoes was commissioned by the rector of the hospital, Giovanni di Francesco Buzzicchelli, who held office from 1434 to 1444. The vaulting compartments were painted with prophets and patriarchs in medallion against a blue background between 1437 and 1441 by the painters Gualtiero di Giovanni, Agostino di Marsiglio, and Adamo di Maestro Collino. The painting of the walls was begun only shortly afterward. The decoration was completed in October 1444.

The frescoes have unusual secular subjects, which deal with the charitable, civic, and medical activities of the hospital. The settings are sometimes the rooms of the hospital itself. In their naturalism and their wealth of imagery drawn from contemporary life, these frescoes provide remarkable insight into Sienese activities.

Eight panels of the original fresco cycle survived, which were painted on the 2nd to 5th bays of the east and west walls, respectively. Six panels were executed by Domenico di Bartolo, two on the east wall: The Enlargement of the Hospital (3rd bay) and Extension of Privileges by Celestine III (5th bay); and four on the west wall: Feeding of the Poor (2nd bay), Rearing and Marrying of Orphans (3rd bay), Reception of Pilgrims and Distribution of Alms (4th bay), Caring for the Sick (5th bay). The other two panels were painted by Vecchietta and Priamo della Quercia, namely The Vision of St Sorore (2nd bay on the east wall) by Vecchietta, and Agostino Novello Installing the First Rector (4th bay on the east wall) by Priamo della Quercia.

Due to the architectural changes and the long use as an infirmary, other frescoes in the original five bays are lost or seriously damaged. The 6th bay, added in 1577, was decorated by Raffaele Navesi: Wet Nurses receiving Infants (west wall) and Pietro di Achille Crogi: Distributing Grain to the Poor (east wall).