MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - PA070.jpg

Category Painting
Origin: artist/workshop Agnolo Gaddi (fl. 1369-96)
Date 14C/4
Reference No 1937.1.4.a(4)/PA
Size 205x245 (left panel 197x80)
Provenance
Present Location Washington - National Gallery of Art, Mellon Collection
Bibliography Shapley 1979, 1:192-4; Cole 1977, 89; Freemantle 1975, 271

Iconografia di San Bernardo 1982, 238-9; Berenson 1963, 69
Illustration From photo - Library
Other illustrations Shapley 1979, 1:pl 134; Freemantle 1975, ill 553

Iconografia di San Bernardo 1982, ill 140
Country Italy
Description:
Triptych in wood covered with canvas of the Madonna Enthroned with Saints and Angels painted by Agnolo Gaddi of the Florentine School who was active from 1369 to 1396. He may have studied under his father and also under Giovanni da Milano, working in Rome, Florence, and Prato where he painted frescos in the cathedral. The book held by Christ is inscribed 'EGO SUM A & O' (I am Alpha and Omega). Below Mary are the words 'Ave Maria Gratia Plena Dominus s (sic)'. The names of the four saints are given under each one: from left Andrew (S Andreas Apps), Benedict (S Benedictus Abbas) in a white cowl holding a book inscribed 'Ausculta o Fili precepta...' (the opening words of his Rule), Bernard (S Bernardus Doctor) holding an open book from which he is reading, and Catherine of Alexandria (S Ktherina Virgo). Above Mary Christ is blessing in a trefoil, and two quatrefoils above the saints contain a scene of the Annunciation, Mary on the right and Gabriel on the left. The positions of three of the saints - Benedict, Bernard, and Catherine - are almost identical to those in another work by Gaddi (see PA080).