Open IIIF manifest What is IIIF IIIF viewers

Design for the decoration of a pendentive with Saint Gregory the Great

Maker

Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (artist)
1572-1645

Formerly attributed to
Bernardino Rodriguez (artist)
died 1667

Title

Medium

black and red chalk, pen and brown ink, brown and red wash on laid paper; framed with black chalk in shape of pendentive; with pinholes along the upper edge

Dimensions

Height: 28.6 cm
Width: 43.3 cm

Accession Number

D.1963.WF.4716

Mode of Acquisition

Witt Fund, purchase, 1963 (January)

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

Saint Gregory the Great, one of the so-called four Church fathers, is known for his erudite writings and is shown here holding a pen and a book. The dove whispering into his ear refers to divine inspiration. This drawing’s unusual shape suggests that it is a design for a pendentive, a triangular architectural element situated between two arches. This would have formed part of a series of four pendentives, the others showing the other three Church fathers Saints Ambrose, Augustine and Jerome.

Provenance

Yvonne ffrench, London (1901-1989); purchased from her by Colnaghi (London), 25 November 1961; purchased there by the Courtauld Institute via the Witt Fund, 15 January 1963, for £80

Exhibition History

Special Display - Neapolitan drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 06/10/2011-26/01/2012

Literature

Farina, Viviana, 'Una inedita "Trasfigurazione di Cristo" e altri disegni: nuove prospettive per la grafica di Giovan Bernardino Azzolino', www.ilseicentodivivianafarina.com 18 June 2012
p. 19
fig. 21, p. 24

Inscriptions

Inscription: Berartino Siciliano

Inscription: St Gregory the Great. / Pendentive for / 4 Doctors of the Church / ? Naples //

Inscription: D 25711

Inscription: 63

Information on this object may be incomplete and will be updated as research progresses. We are particularly committed to addressing any discriminatory or offensive language and ideas that might be present in our records. To help improve this record, and to enquire about images of The Courtauld Gallery Collection, please email gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk. Find out more about using and licensing our images.

____________________________

Buy a print from our collection