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How was Duccio influenced by Cimabue’s painting style?

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Duccio: The Virgin Enthroned with the Child, Surrounded by the Patrons of Siena, Angels, and Saints — Duccio *The Virgin Enthroned with the Child, Surrounded by the Patrons of Siena, Angels, and Saints*, central panel of the *Maestà*, tempera on wood panel by Duccio, 1308–11; in the Siena Opera della Metropolitana, Italy.

The influence of Cimabue on Duccio is a complex subject in art history. While some early critics viewed Duccio as a mere imitator of the Florentine master, modern scholarship suggests that Cimabue’s influence was likely a late addition to a style already deeply rooted in the Sienese tradition.1

Evidence of this influence is most notably observed in Duccio’s Madonna Rucellai, which shares specific stylistic affinities with Cimabue’s work, including:

The depiction of the Virgin’s physical type.1
The serious and robust representation of the Child.1
The facial features of the six adoring angels.1

Despite these similarities, Duccio’s work simultaneously introduced innovative elements—such as the softness of figures set in midair, elegant lines, and a sense of French Gothic spirituality—that distinguished his personal style from that of Cimabue. Ultimately, while Duccio was aware of and influenced by Cimabue, his artistic formation relied on a diverse range of sources, including the Byzantine tradition and contemporary Gothic miniatures.1