Saint Agnes
sculptorAttributed to
Master of Saint Catherine Gualino
(active 14th century)
Dateabout 1315
Place MadeItaly, Europe
MediumPolychromed and gilded poplar
Dimensions131.4 x 27.3 x 18.7 cm (51 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 7 3/8 in.)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberS30s37
eMuseum ID717558
EmbARK ObjectID13462
TMS Source ID2393
Last Updated11/13/24
Status
Not on viewWeb 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).
BibliographyNotesGilbert 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 Sculpture Using XRF Technology,” Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 23 August 2022, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/revealing-layers-european-painted-wood-sculptures-using-xrf-technology
Diana de Bellaigue et al. "Two Sculptures, One Master? A Technical Study of Two Rare Examples of Polychrome Sculptures Associated with “the Master of Saint Catherine of Gualino”, Italy, Fourteenth Century." Journal of the American Institute for Conservation (2 November 2023): 1-24, www.doi.org/10.1080/01971360.2023.2219935
“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 Sculpture Using XRF Technology,” Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 23 August 2022, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/revealing-layers-european-painted-wood-sculptures-using-xrf-technology
Diana de Bellaigue et al. "Two Sculptures, One Master? A Technical Study of Two Rare Examples of Polychrome Sculptures Associated with “the Master of Saint Catherine of Gualino”, Italy, Fourteenth Century." Journal of the American Institute for Conservation (2 November 2023): 1-24, www.doi.org/10.1080/01971360.2023.2219935
ProvenanceNotesPurchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from the connoisseur and art dealer Stefano Bardini (1836-1922), Florence for about 3,000 lire on 6 October 1897.
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