Charity
Artist/Maker
Material / Technique
Dimensionsh x diam x diam: Mått 74 cm
Inventory numberNM 94
AcqusitionTransferred 1866 from Kongl. Museum (Martelli 1804)
Other titlesTitel (sv): Barmhärtigheten Titel (en): Charity
DescriptionRes. Katalogtext: Description in Italian Paintings: Three Centuries of Collecting, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2015, cat.no. 11: FORMER INV. NOS.: 204 (1796–97); 32 (1798); 348 (M. 1804); KM 485. TECHNICAL NOTES: The support is a medium-coarse, plainweave linen fabric. Later, in Sweden, it has been glued onto hardboard (marouflage). The tacking edges are cropped and all the edges have been filled and retouched. All impastos, such as brushstrokes, are almost obliterated due to the marouflage. There are numerous old retouches all over the surface. The varnish is very thick and yellowed. Documented restorations: 1838: Restored by Heidecken; 1921: Restored, stretching, minor repairs, varnish; 1947: Relining. Tear mended, cleaning, paint layer repaired, varnish. PROVENANCE: Martelli 1804. BIBLIOGRAPHY: NM Cat. 1867, p. 7 (as Lanfranco); Sander 1872– 76, III, p. 125, no. 348 (as Lanfranco); NM Cat. 1958, p. 232 (as anonymous,17th century); NM Cat. 1990, p. 420 (as anonymous, 17th century). At the end of his career, Brandi painted an altarpiece of the Trinity with St Bernardo Tolomei (1685–90) for the church of Santa Francesca Romana in Rome.¹ The painting is one of the best examples of how he achieved chiaroscuro luminescence through a chromatic tonality. However, the composition is somewhat overcrowded; it is akin to the artist’s masterful frescoes in the church of Gesù e Maria, Rome, and would perhaps have been better suited to that medium. Brandi’s foreshortening of the body of Christ is quite similar in a tondo with this motif which he probably painted around the same time.² It is also very similar to the corresponding depiction of Christ in the Deposition (1682) in Sant’Andrea al Quirinale. In this case, the overall compositions are similar too, with the Magdalen in the Deposition, who is washing the hands of Christ with her hair, taking an analogous position to St Bernardo. In these three paintings, the chalk-white body of Christ is starkly offset against the dark background, against the luminescent, almost golden skin tones of the accompanying figures, and against the quite bright colours of the garment draped over Christ’s legs and of the Magdalen’s raiment.³ In Fredenheim’s catalogue, the present painting is attributed to Lanfranco.⁴ On the verso paper label, Corvi and Tofanelli attribute it to the same artist, though with some reservation, describing it as “Lanfranco. Un Cristo morto coll’Erimateo. Incerto; ma di Autore superiore”. Corvi and Tofanelli were on the right track; although not by Lanfranco, the work was in all likelihood executed by Brandi at about the same time as the altarpiece of the Trinity with St Bernardo Tolomei for the Santa Francesca Romana. The depictions of Christ and the saint are very similar between the two paintings; in fact, the Nationalmuseum painting seems to be a reduced version of the altarpiece, concentrating entirely on the meditative relationship between the penitent hermit and Christ. As in the paintings mentioned above, the white of Christ’s body is finely contrasted against the dark background, while it is also, as in the altarpiece, mirrored in the monk’s raiment, perhaps intentionally reflecting the relationship between the Benedictine Order and Christ.⁵ In both the altarpiece and the Nationalmuseum canvas, the garment draped over the legs of Christ is painted in a saturated, dark blue colour. Interestingly, in a painting by Brandi in the church of Sant’Angelo Magno in Ascoli Piceno, Marche, depicting St Bernardo holding a crucifix in meditation and penitence, the same shade of blue is found in the background sky, creating a similar chromatic contrast with the white robes.⁶ In the Nationalmuseum painting as in the altarpiece, the blind monk cups the left hand of Christ in both his hands, while leaning forward to kiss it. The light falls on Christ’s body and on the bald head of the monk in almost exactly the same fashion, creating the same fine contrast between the golden skin tones of the monk and the chalk-white of the body of Christ. Christ’s emaciated yet muscular body is naturalistically depicted, highlighting bone structure as well as musculature and veins. Just as in the altarpiece, Christ’s head rests on a cloud. Instruments of the Passion such as spikes are also visible in the foreground of both paintings. Despite the close likeness between the two pictures, there are no aspects of the Nationalmuseum painting that point to it being a copy. Rather, the slight differences that can be observed suggest that it is a variant of the theme of the altarpiece, probably painted by Brandi on commission from a patron – perhaps to be used in a private chapel for prayer and contemplation. St Bernardo Tolomei was born in Siena in 1272. He was baptized Giovanni and later took the name Bernardo in veneration of the holy Cistercian monk. He was probably educated by the Dominicans at the College of San Domenico di Camporegio. He studied, and later practised, law, while at the same time he was a member of the Confraternity of the Disciplinati di Santa Maria della Notte, dedicated to aiding the sick at the Hospital Santa Maria della Scala. Gradually Bernardo developed almost total blindness, which prevented any further civil career. In 1313he retired to a property belonging to his family in Accona, together with two of his friends. Here they lived in hermitical ascetic seclusion, penitence and silence, praying and performing manual labour. In 1319 Bernardo was authorized to build the monastery of Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto, which was to come under the direction of the Benedictine Order. In accepting this mission, Bernardo also accepted the rule and cenobitism of the Benedictines. However, Bernardoand his followers chose to wear white robes in honour of the purity of the Virgin, which were also to reflect the purity of those who wore them.Bernardo sent two emissaries to Avignon, where Pope Clementine VI approved the forming of the congregation in 1344. In 1348 Bernardo left for Siena to tend to the victims of the plague, which had struck the city hard. Later the same year, Bernardo himself fell victim to the disease. Bernardo was not canonized until as late as 26 April 2009. However, his reputation had grown rapidly quite soon after his death, and in the 17th century he was treated in the same manner as a saint in Italian religious art. DP 1 Pampalone 1973, pp. 123–166, pl. 56; Fondazione Federico Zeri, Università di Bologna, Catalogo Fototeca, Giacinto Brandi, Trinità e san Bernardo Tolomei, Chiesa di Santa Francesca Romana/Chiesa di Santa Maria Nova, numero scheda: 47742, numero busta: 0487. 2 Federico Zeri, Università di Bologna, Catalogo Fototeca, Giacinto Brandi, Compianto sui Cristo morto con due santi monaci e angeli, whereabouts unknown, numero scheda: 47800, numero busta: 0487. 3 Pampalone 1973, p. 152. 4 NM Archives, Kongl. Museum, F:1, Catalogue du Cabinet de Martelli (à Rome). 5 Brizzi 2009, pp. 3–19. 6 Fondazione Federico Zeri, Università di Bologna, Catalogo Fototeca, Giacinto Brandi, San Bernardo Tolomei, numero scheda: 47741, numero busta: 0487. 7 Brizzi 2009, pp. 3–19. [end]
Motif categoryReligion/Mythology
Collection
TechniquePainting
Object category
Keyword