Lot 20

Presentation of a young Franciscan friar in the Temple, a historiated initial from a Choirbook, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Italy (Siena), mid-fifteenth century]

Estimate

12,000 - 18,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Vellum
approximately 8¼in by 7in

cutting, 212mm. by 175mm., with a large historiated initial ‘G’ in green with ochre and yellow inset, formed of fleshy acanthus in orange, purple, blue and green, set against a highly polished burnished gold ground, enclosing a woman carrying a young Franciscan friar with a halo, holding a candle, accompanied by another woman, to the right a small church with a bell on top, the reverse with two 4-line red staves with music and text, rastrum 50mm., the figures slightly rubbed, small cracks and areas of pigment losses, tiny holes in upper corners, added paper strip on top of reverse for mounting

Provenance

From the Collection of Lord Clark, OM; thence by descent.

Kenneth Clark (1903-83) was an aesthete with an acute intelligence and a wide range of artistic tastes, and the inherited wealth both to indulge his likes and to act as a patron to artists such as Moore, Sutherland and Pasmore. Though primarily known for his seminal television series Civilisation, Lord Clark held a variety of important and scholarly positions within the British art establishment including, at the age of 31, being Director of the National Gallery; he was also a prolific lecturer and author on the Arts - and he used and promoted the Arts when he worked for the Ministry of Information during the Second World War.

A selection of items from Lord Clark and his family’s collection are being offered for auction by Sotheby’s across a wide range of departments – please see online for further details and for a longer appreciation by James Stourton, who is currently working on a new biography of Lord Clark.

Catalogue Note

illumination

The style of this initial is close to the work of Sano di Pietro (1405-81). He was a painter and illuminator who was a successful figure in early Renaissance Siena. He is thought to have trained with Sassetta, whose art was a major influence on the development of Sano's style. After Sassetta’s death in 1450, Sano completed works left unfinished by him. His manner is easily recognisable by figures with sharp facial features, large brown almond eyes, heavy forms and precise outlines. Sano is especially known for his use of bright colours with subtle interplay.

The artist’s devotion to St. Bernardine and the Virgin provided him with a source of artistic inspiration. St. Bernardine died in 1444 and was canonised by Pope Nicholas V in 1450. Sano di Pietro produced many portraits of the saint and scenes from his life. The extremely rare – if not unique – iconography of this initial remains obscure but relates to the Franciscan Order and perhaps St. Bernardine himself.