Predella, wood, carved, saints

Predella, pigmented wood. The predella shows eight Saints standing frontally beneath round arches which spring from octagonal attached columns with foliated capitals. The saints represented are St Benedict, an archiepiscopal Saint, St Leonard, a bareheaded Saint with a book wearing the pallium, St Agnes, two unidentified female saints and a queen. The interios of the arcade is painted blue and red, and the external surfaces are gilt. The heads and hands of the figures are painted naturalistically, and their gilt robes are lined alternately with blue and red. The gilding is much abraded, notably on the outer faces of the arcade.

Purchased in Naples (Mr. E. Neville Rolfe, £25). According to a note made at the time of acquisition, 'Mr Rolfe says that this Altar Frontal came from somewhere in the Umbrian marches.'

This carved wooden predella is originally from an altarpiece. The predella shows eight saints including St Benedict, St Leonard and St Agnes standing frontally benath round arches. It is thought to date from the first half of the fouteenth century and to originate from Umbria in Italy.

391-1888