| Painted by Bicci di Lorenzo in the second quarter of the fifteenth century the panel is a fragment of a larger composition. Part of a Gothic building on the right and the way the figures are turned indicates that it is the left part.A nimbed and bearded Bernard in a white cowl stands holding an open book in his left hand and with his right hand on the head of a kneeling lay figure, the donor. The scene is blessed by Christ in the sky surrounded by angels. The text of Bernard's book reads ' O DOMINA/ RESPON/DE VERB/UM. Et SU/SCIPE VE/RBUM. PROFER/ TUUM/ ET CONCI/PE DIVIN/UM. EMITTE/ TRANSITO/RIUM. ET/ AMPLECTERE SEMP/ITERNUM ('De laudibus Virginis Matris', Homilia 4 -SBOp 8:53-4) - 'O, Lady, give a word in reply and receive the Word (in your womb), offer what is yours and conceive what is divine. Send forth what is transitory and embrace what is eternal'. Bernard has 'tuft'.
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