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Source Description
Francesca (1384-1440) was a Roman abbess famous for her mystical visions, of which she left a written account. This panel, together with three others now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and at the National Gallery in Prague (Czech Republic), probably framed a portrait of her placed at her tomb in the church of Santa Maria Nova near the Roman Forum. The painting, which stood behind a small altar, was executed most likely in 1445, when the case of the mystic's canonization was presented before the pope.Shown here is a vision that Francesca had at Christmas 1432 and which she described, referring to herself in the third person, as follows: "St. Peter vested himself as a bishop to celebrate the Sacrifice, and he washed and purified the handmaid of Christ in that fountain of mercy, and afterwards he gave her the most holy sacrament of the Body of Christ. And St. Paul and St. Benedict served St. Peter in the celebration of the mass, and the blessed Magdalene assisted at the office, for so it was the divine will, that there should be three witnesses thereat. And when the mass was done, blessed Peter consecrated the handmaid of Christ. . . ." St. Peter, first bishop of Rome, is depicted twice with a papal crown. Paul is holding the sword by which, according to legend, he died at the hands of the pagans.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
17873
label
Communion and Consecration of Santa Francesca Romana
core
obj
dtoType
drawing
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
17873
sourceUrl
contentType
drawing
stage
normalized
title
Communion and Consecration of Santa Francesca Romana
description
Francesca (1384-1440) was a Roman abbess famous for her mystical visions, of which she left a written account. This panel, together with three others now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and at the National Gallery in Prague (Czech Republic), probably framed a portrait of her placed at her tomb in the church of Santa Maria Nova near the Roman Forum. The painting, which stood behind a small altar, was executed most likely in 1445, when the case of the mystic's canonization was presented before the pope.Shown here is a vision that Francesca had at Christmas 1432 and which she described, referring to herself in the third person, as follows: "St. Peter vested himself as a bishop to celebrate the Sacrifice, and he washed and purified the handmaid of Christ in that fountain of mercy, and afterwards he gave her the most holy sacrament of the Body of Christ. And St. Paul and St. Benedict served St. Peter in the celebration of the mass, and the blessed Magdalene assisted at the office, for so it was the divine will, that there should be three witnesses thereat. And when the mass was done, blessed Peter consecrated the handmaid of Christ. . . ." St. Peter, first bishop of Rome, is depicted twice with a papal crown. Paul is holding the sword by which, according to legend, he died at the hands of the pagans.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, prior to 1909, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 1445 (Renaissance)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Painting & Drawing
paintings
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
54.8
height
37.4
dimensionsRaw
Painted surface H: 21 9/16 x W: 14 3/4 in. (54.8 x 37.4 cm); Panel H: 21 15/16 x W: 15 1/8 x D excluding cradle: 1/4 in. (55.8 x 38.4 x 0.6 cm); Framed H: 27 11/16 × W: 20 13/16 × D: 1 7/16 in. (70.4 × 52.9 × 3.7 cm)
style
Gothic
Source extras
inscriptions
[Transcription] On the scroll held by the Virgin: L'umilita co la puritate della obedientia lo amore co la munditia della conscientia fanno nello insieme buona le sa; et quando sono unite in una anima sta puo bevre co abbundantia alla fonte mia: perche io sono lo fonte della vita
chi a sete venga a me et beva et io li daro molta letitia; [Translation] On the scroll held by the Virgin: Humility with purity of obedience
love with cleanliness of conscience
make a good combination; and when they are united in one soul
that soul can drink its fill at my fountain; for I am the fountain of life. Let him who thirsts come to me and drink
and I will give him great joy.; [Transcription] On the scroll held by the infant Christ: Io sono lo amore divino el quale rapisco l'cuore di chi m'ama et lo metto nlo petto mio et fo tutto mio et fo provare molto contento esso guarda nlo specchio mio et si muta nella gr(a)nde caritate et arde dello amare lo fo tutto nfiammare et lo unisco alla mia maiestate; [Translation] On the scroll held by the infant Christ: I am the divine love that enraptures the heart of him who loves me. I place him in my breast and make him entirely mine and make him feel great contentment. He looks into my mirror and is transformed by my great charity and burns with love. I make him love all and unite him to my majesty.; [Transcription] On the scroll held by Mary Magdalen: O voi che avete udito quale e lo rimedio che ha preso la reina della cielo per fare lunge (?) sto grande malore ponetene nlo ritiro et mondate lo cuore d'ogni macula sia santa et pura la fede vostra et fervente in Dio la caritate: la grande reina come madre nostra dice che state forti e che avete ferma speranza della futuro remedia che Dio ve manda; [Translation] On the scroll held by Mary Magdalen: Ye who have heard what sort of help the Queen of Heaven has given to (remove ?) this great disgrace
go into retirement and cleanse your heart from every stain. Holy and pure be your faith
and fervent your love for God; the great Queen
as your Mother
tells you to be brave and to have hope in the future help which God will send you.
med
tempera and gold leaf on wood
creator_ids
17148
collection_ids
REN
exhibition_ids
1957
386
3310
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
1a8b48f36ef299ac