Object details
Accession number
S30s37
Primary Creator
Master of Saint Catherine Gualino
(active 14th century)
Full title
Saint Agnes
Creation Date
about 1315
Provenance
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from the connoisseur and art dealer Stefano Bardini (1836-1922), Florence for about 3,000 lire on 6 October 1897.
Dimensions
131.4 x 27.3 x 18.7 cm (51 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 7 3/8 in.)
Display Media
Polychromed and gilded poplar
Web Commentary
Isabella was a devoted Episcopalian who was drawn to the ceremonial and artistic aspects of Christianity and other religions, which are represented throughout the museum. Although, Christian decorative and liturgical objects dominate among the collection, by far. The Saint Agnes statue was purchased by Isabella while she was in Florence in 1897 from connoisseur and art dealer Stefano Bardini (1836-1922). In Europe painted wood sculptures from this time and place often represent sacred figures from Christianity. As objects of prayer and devotion, the sculptures were created to look alive. Historical accounts recorded several instances of such sculptures appearing to speak, bleed, move or cry. Teams of specialized artists collaborated on these sculptures in workshops by first intricately carving blocks of wood and then adding paint and gilding (gold decoration). This particular sculpture depicting Saint Agnes is painted with vermilion mixed with lead white, and the gold decoration is gold leaf applied on top of tin leaf. Saint Agnes, also called Saint Agnes of Rome, is the patron saint of girls, and one of the most celebrated Roman martyrs. In her story, she refused marriage, taking only Jesus Christ as her spouse. She refused to renounce her faith and was murdered during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Diocletian (245-316).
Permanent Gallery Location
Gothic Room
Bibliography
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 269. (as probably French, 14th century)“Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 18 (30 Dec. 1962), p. 2. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 28 (10 Mar. 1963), p. 2. (as “some critics have said that the work is Italian,” but probably French, 14th century)“Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 7, no. 29 (15 Mar. 1964), p. 2. Giovanni Previtali. “Sulle tracce di una scultura umbra del Trecento (Il maestro della S. Caterina Gualino.” Pargone (1965), pp. 16-25. (as by the Master of the Gualino Saint Catherine, about 1315)Giovanni Previtali. "An Italian Hypothesis for the Two Saint Agnes Sculptures at Fenway Court." Fenway Court (1976), pp. 36-41, figs. 1, 3, 5. Cornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), p. 67, no. 94. (as Aquilan, about 1315)Giovanni Previtali. “Due lezioni sulla scultura ‘umbra’ del Trecento. II, L’Umbria alla sinistra del Tevere 2, Verso Ascoli e Teramo: il Maestro della S. Caterina.” Prospettiva: Rivista di storia dell’arte antica e moderna (1984), p. 37, figs. 1-2.Jessica Chloros and Danielle Carrabino. "Revealing the Layers of European Painted Wood Sculptures Using XRF Technology." Inside the Collection, August 23, 2002. https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/revealing-layers-european-painted-wood-sculptures-using-xrf-technology
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