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Bicci di Lorenzo
Florence, 1373 - 1452
Bicci’s lasting activity is bursting with a strong coherence and a consistent traditionalist style. Creating a perfect balance between the ideals of the late Trecento and the early fifteenth century genre-like realism, he managed to develop a harmonious conservative approach that seemed to please the taste of the time; his elegant and skilfully executed works were highly appreciated and he received a steady flow of commissions for altarpieces and frescoes.
Predella with Christ as the Man of Sorrows (Vir Dolorum) between the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist among the Saints Stephen, James, Catherine of Alexandria, Mary Magdalene, Anthony and Julian
Tempera on panel, 170 x 18 cm
Provenance
Florence, count Pietro Bargagli Petrucci, until 1961
Florence, countess Maria Vittoria Bargagli Petrucci, until 2006
Florence, private collection
Bibliography
E. Skaug, Punch marks from Giotto to Fra Angelico, I, Oslo 1994, p. 268
This predella, of considerable dimensions and one of the few known in its original length, has always been in a Florentine private collection and for this reason appears to be almost unpublished and ignored in the art-historical literature. It is mentioned only by Skaug in his publication on the punch marks, where attributes the painting to Lorenzo di Bicci, by drawing a comparison between the punch marks and those associated with Lorenzo. before. However, Angelo Tartuferi attributes the work to his son, Bicci di Lorenzo. It can be easily assumed that the predella was likely created after the marks had already been passed down to Bicci di Lorenzo.
The most compelling comparison that supports the attribution to Bicci di Lorenzo is undoubtedly with the Virgin beside Christ in the central compartment of the predella. This figure bears a striking resemblance to that of the Virgin in the three roundels depicting The Man of Sorrows with the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist formerly in De Clemente collection.
The Christ as the Man of Sorrows, sided by the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist, at the centre of the painting is often considered one of the most powerful and emotionally charged subjects in Christian art, providing a poignant counterpoint to the surrounding panels of saints, giving a
powerful image of grief and compassion. Bicci’s Christ as the Man of Sorrows is restrained in its emotional intensity yet the composition exudes solemnity through its clear, harmonious structure and the careful placement of the figures. The Virgin’s graceful pose is a testament to the artist’s ability to convey delicate emotion through subtle gestures and facial expressions. The sombre colour palette further underscores the mournful tone, with the use of rich, deep hues typical of Bicci’s style. The scenes in Bicci’s predella tend to be relatively restrained, presenting sacred events with clarity and simplicity, often framed, like in this case, within ornate Gothic.
A full fact sheet is available on request.
