MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - MA249.jpg


Category	Manuscript
Origin: artist/workshop	Nicolas of Bologna and disciples
Date	14C/2
Reference No	MS Vat. lat. 8541, f 88v (detail)
Size	8.4x6.5 (each image excl. border - four images on folio 21.5x16.7)
Provenance	Court of Hungary
Present Location	Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica
Bibliography	VP1:6:30 (PL185:244-5); LA 214; Karl 1929, 185-205
	Dal Pra 1990, 351-4; Schmitt 1990, 156
Illustration From	photo - Library
Other illustrations	Karl 1929, ill 2

Country	Italy

Description:
One of eight images of Bernard from a Legendary illustrated by Nicolas of Bologna dated 1330-40 and featuring the lives of 51 saints. Four are on this folio and four on the facing folio, each image surrounded by foliate decoration. Bottom right shows Bernard in a red cope blessing Humbeline kneeling before him and now in a simple red dress and a white veil before an altar with a cloth on it. Behind Bernard are four tonsured monks - his brothers - one of them carrying a red processional cross and four women behind the altar. The story goes that Bernard relented after Humbeline had said that although he might despise her flesh he should not despise her soul. She went back to her husband and later entered Jully as a nun, but there is nothing in either the Vita Prima or the Golden Legend to say that Bernard received her as a nun. The inscription reads: 'IIII Quomodo ipse sororem suam fecit munialem' (How he made his sister into a nun). See also MA246-8 & 250-3.

Description:

One of eight images of Bernard from a Legendary illustrated by Nicolas of Bologna dated 1330-40 and featuring the lives of 51 saints. Four are on this folio and four on the facing folio, each image surrounded by foliate decoration. Bottom right shows Bernard in a red cope blessing Humbeline kneeling before him and now in a simple red dress and a white veil before an altar with a cloth on it. Behind Bernard are four tonsured monks - his brothers - one of them carrying a red processional cross and four women behind the altar. The story goes that Bernard relented after Humbeline had said that although he might despise her flesh he should not despise her soul. She went back to her husband and later entered Jully as a nun, but there is nothing in either the Vita Prima or the Golden Legend to say that Bernard received her as a nun. The inscription reads: 'IIII Quomodo ipse sororem suam fecit munialem' (How he made his sister into a nun). See also MA246-8 & 250-3.