Artworks

This is a distinguished leaf from a Gradual made for the Dominican nunnery Santa Maria Maddalena di Val di Pietra. An elegant initial M is placed in the left lower corner of this impressive leaf (c. 518 x 360 mm) showing Saint Dominic preaching to a group of nuns. Saint Dominic (1170 – 1221), the founder of the Dominican order, is also revered as patron saint of astronomers and natural scientists.

The initial M is executed against a royal blue background decorated with fine white tracings. Under the left-hand arch stands Saint Dominic, gesticulating eloquently, while under the right-hand arch a group of Dominican nuns is depicted. They are portrayed smaller than the saint and gaze at him as if hanging on his every word. The palette is dominated by blue, black, and white, the latter two colours designating the Dominican habits of the nuns and Saint Dominic. The composition appears geometric and hieratic with clear lines framing the narrative scene.

The Master of Sant'Agnese di Valdipietra, who created this work, took on a leading role from ca. 1290 onwards in an influential scriptorium which produced a large set of Choirbooks for two Dominican nunneries in Bologna.His phase of activity marks a fascinating tendency in Bolognese illumination, where various trends, like that of the Gerona Master, Jacopino da Reggio, and the first illumination style in Bologna (the so-called primo stile) merge into a new, slightly rigid and ornamental style. This style is, however, already influenced by a new, more realistic approach to painting that was introduced to Bologna by the great Giotto di Bondone.

This elegant miniature marks a fascinating confluence of the ornamental Bolognese style with Giotto di Bondone’s refreshing and realistic approach.