MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - PA126.jpg


Category	Painting
Origin: artist/workshop	Probably Catalan, but perhaps School of Valencia
Date	14C/4
Reference No
Size
Provenance
Present Location	Madrid, Garnelo Collection
Bibliography	Duran 1953, 44-6; Aurenhammer 1959-67, 339
	Post 1930, 3:18-21; Dewez & Iterson 1956, 174; Dupeux 1993, 157
Illustration From	Duran 1953, ill 14 (detail)
Other illustrations	Post 1930, 3:ill 254 (whole panel)

Country	Spain

Description:
Panel of the Virgin and Child painted towards the end of the fourteenth century and probably once the centre of a retable. The kneeling figures of St Benedict and Bernard, in black and white cowls respectively and both carrying croziers, the patrons of the Military Order of Montesa, suggests that it may have come from the castle of the knights just south-west of Jativa. Duran says that it probably came from the monastery of Benifaza, Madrid. The Virgin sits on a high Gothic chair with pinnacles. Turned in the direction of Bernard, she bares her breast and, with the assistance of the Child, sends a jet of milk in the direction of Bernard who looks up at him. Both Bernard and Benedict hold open books with text. The inscription on Bernard's has ECCE VENIT JESUS CUM SALUTE VENIT MARIA CUM UNGUINTIS ('Behold, Jesus comes with salvation, Mary comes with ointments') from the First Sermon on the Vigil of the Birthday of the Lord, while Benedict's has IN EIUS DOCTRINA USQUE AD MORTEM IN MONASTERIO [PERSEVERANTES] ('...persevering in his teaching in the monastery until death') from the Prologue to the Rule. Bernard has 'tuft'.

Description:

Panel of the Virgin and Child painted towards the end of the fourteenth century and probably once the centre of a retable. The kneeling figures of St Benedict and Bernard, in black and white cowls respectively and both carrying croziers, the patrons of the Military Order of Montesa, suggests that it may have come from the castle of the knights just south-west of Jativa. Duran says that it probably came from the monastery of Benifaza, Madrid. The Virgin sits on a high Gothic chair with pinnacles. Turned in the direction of Bernard, she bares her breast and, with the assistance of the Child, sends a jet of milk in the direction of Bernard who looks up at him. Both Bernard and Benedict hold open books with text. The inscription on Bernard's has ECCE VENIT JESUS CUM SALUTE VENIT MARIA CUM UNGUINTIS ('Behold, Jesus comes with salvation, Mary comes with ointments') from the First Sermon on the Vigil of the Birthday of the Lord, while Benedict's has IN EIUS DOCTRINA USQUE AD MORTEM IN MONASTERIO [PERSEVERANTES] ('...persevering in his teaching in the monastery until death') from the Prologue to the Rule. Bernard has 'tuft'.