Triumph of Saint Thomas Aquinas

Lippo Memmi's Triumph of Saint Thomas Aquinas (c. 1340) glorifies the great Dominican theologian who was canonized in 1323, reflecting the Dominican Order's campaign to promote their intellectual champion through visual art. Lippo Memmi, the brother-in-law and close collaborator of Simone Martini, was one of Siena's leading painters and frequently served Dominican patrons. The triumph format, showing Aquinas vanquishing heresy through theological argument, was developed specifically for Dominican churches and chapter houses.

Executed in egg tempera on gold ground, the composition employs a hierarchical arrangement with Saint Thomas enthroned centrally amid personifications and defeated adversaries. Lippo Memmi's style shows the refined line and courtly elegance of Simone Martini's circle with careful attention to textile patterning.