Silvestro dei Gherarducci

Silvestro dei Gherarducci (c. 1339 – c. 1399) was an Italian painter and illuminator in Florence. He became a monk and later a prior of the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli where he first started work on illustrations for manuscripts.

Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci's painting of Madonna and Child, tempera on panel

Paintings

• Madonna and Child with Sts. John Baptist and Paul (?), circa 1375, tempera on panel, 83.82 × 76.835 cm (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, M.39.1)^[1]
• Assumption of the Virgin, circa 1365, tempera on panel, 41 × 27 cm (Pinacoteca Vaticana)^[2]
• Madonna and Child, circa 1365–1370, tempera on panel, 49 × 30.5 cm (private collection)^[3][4]
• The Assumption of Saint Mary Magdalene, 1380s, tempera on panel, 161.1 × 81.9 cm (National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, NGI.841)^[5]
• Madonna and Child, circa 1366–1375, tempera on panel, 164 × 89 cm (Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, inv. 3161)^[6][7]
• The Madonna and Child, tempera on panel, 30.5 × 20.3 cm (The Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 1999.32)^[8]

Illuminated manuscripts

Gradual from Santa Maria degli Angeli

 

Initial "R", gradual from the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli

Gradual from Santa Maria degli Angeli, considered to be Don Silvestro's crowning achievement, is currently preserved in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence (Codice Corale 2 / Cod. Cor. 2), with twenty detached pages in various collections around the world:^[9]

• folio 15: Saint Stephen Enthroned in an Initial E (private collection, England)^[10]
• folio 18: The Four Evangelists in an Initial I (Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, inv. no. M34)^[11]
• folio 23: Saint Silvester in an Initial S (Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, NMB 1797)^[12]
• folio 32: Saint Agnes in an Initial M (Library of Geneva, Switzerland)^[13]
• folio 42: The Presentation in the Temple in an Initial S (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England, Marlay Cutting It. 13A)^[14][15]
• folio 49: Saint Scholastica in an Initial V (location unknown)^[16]
• folio 56: Saint Benedict Enthroned with Eight Saints (Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, inv. no. M35)^[17]
• folio 60: The Annunciation in an Initial R (British Library, London, Add. MS 35254 C)^[18][19] + Six Bust-Length Prophets (Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, NMB 1797)^[19]
• folio 80: Saint Michael Fighting the Dragon in an Initial B (Abegg-Stiftung^(de), Riggisberg, Switzerland)
• folio 90: Saint Romuald Enthroned with Four Saints in an Initial O (British Library, Add. MS 37472, folio 3)^[20][21]
• folio 97: The Birth of Saint John the Baptist (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, inv. no. 2764)^[22][23]
• folio 104: Saints Peter and Paul in an Initial N (private collection, England)^[24]
• folio 113: Saint Margaret in an Initial L (private collection, Milan)^[25]
• folio 119: Saints James and Andrew in an Initial M (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, inv. no. F61–14)^[26][27][28]
• folio 134: Saint Lawrence in an Initial C (Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MS W.416)^[29][30]
• folio 137: The Virgin and Child in an Initial S (Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.1012)^[31][32]
• folio 142: The Death and Assumption of the Virgin (British Library, Add. MS 37955 A)^[33][34]
• folio 148: The Birth of the Virgin in an Initial G (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 21.168)^[35][36]
• folio 155: The Virgin and Christ in Glory in an Initial G (Cleveland Museum of Art, 1930.105)^[37][38]
• folio 159: Pope Saint Clement in an Initial D (Fitzwilliam Museum, MS 5-1979)^[39]

Gradual 1 from San Michele a Murano

 

Initial "P", Gradual 1 from the monastery of San Michele a Murano

Gradual 1 from San Michele a Murano can be reconstructed from individual pages and numerous cuttings in various collections:^[40]

• folio 1: God the Father Presenting the Infant Christ to a group of Saints in an Initial A (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, MS 434, no. I 30-A)^[41][42]
• Saint Paul in an Initial G (Morgan Library & Museum, New York, MS M.478, no. 6 (I.3))^[43][44]
• Foliate Decoration in an Initial M (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 983, no. 2868)^[45]
• folio 32: The Nativity of Christ in an Initial D (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 966, no. 3074)^[46][47]
• The Adoration of the Shepherds in an Initial L (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 967, no. D.229-1906)^[48][49]
• folio 38: The Nativity and the Annuciation to the Shepherds in an Initial P (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.653, no. 1 (I.8))^[50][51]
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 973, no. D.222-1906)^[52]
• folio 46: The Adoration of the Magi in an Initial E (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.653, no. 5 (I.15))^[53][54]
• A Prophet Looking Up to the Enthroned Christ in an Initial I (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 7 (I.16))^[55][56]
• A Prophet in an Initial O (Art Institute of Chicago, acc. no. 1915.550)^[57][58]
• A Prophet in an Initial A (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 10 (I.18))^[59]
• A Prophet in an Initial С (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 976, no. D.227-1906)^[60]
• A Prophet in an Initial E (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 982, no. D.219-1906)^[61][62]
• A Prophet in an Initial R (Museo Civico, Padua, M.C. 887)
• A Prophet in an Initial O (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS D.217-1906)^[63]
• An Initial I (Museo Civico, Padua, M.C. 886)
• The Entry into Jerusalem in an Initial D (Wildenstein Collection, Musée Marmottan, Paris)^[64]

Gradual 2 from San Michele a Murano

 

Initial "V", Gradual 2 from the monastery of San Michele a Murano

Gradual 2 from San Michele a Murano can be reconstructed from individual pages and numerous cuttings in various collections:^[40]

• The Resurrection in an Initial R (Musée Condé, Chantilly, France, inv. no. PE 2)^[65][66]
• A Prophet in an Initial A (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 969, no. 432)^[67][68]
• A Prophet in an Initial V (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 17 (II.5))^[69][70]
• A Prophet in an Initial V (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS D.226-1906)^[71]
• A Prophet in an Initial E (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 3 (II.7))^[72]
• A Prophet in an Initial M (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 9 (II.10))^[73]
• An Initial I (Museo Civico, Padua, M.C. 878)
• A Prophet in an Initial C (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 968, no. 431)^[74]
• A Prophet in an Initial V (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 970, no. 3087)^[75]
• folio 44: The Ascention of Christ in an Initial V (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.653, no. 3 (II.14))^[76][77][78]
• A Prophet in an Initial E (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 4 (II.15))^[79]
• folio 58: The Pentecost in an Initial S (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 970, inv. no. 3045)^[80][81]
• A Prophet in an Initial A (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 975, no. D.224-1906)^[82]
• A Prophet in an Initial R (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 14 (II.26))^[83]
• folio 74: The Trinity in an Initial B (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.653, no. 2 (II.23))^[84][85][86]
• folio 78: The Last Supper in an Initial C (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.653, no. 4 (II.25))^[87][88][89]
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 974, no. D.225-1906)^[90]
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, MS 682)^[91]
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 981, no. D.221-1906)^[92]
• A Prophet in an Initial O (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 11 (II.31))^[93][94]
• A Prophet in an Initial S (Victoria and Albert Museum, MS 978, no. D.218-1906)^[95]
• A Prophet in an Initial E (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 5 (II.33))^[96]
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 1 (II.35))^[97]
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 2 (II.36))^[98]
• A Prophet in an Initial R (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 15 (II.37))^[99]
• A Prophet in an Initial P (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 13 (II.38))^[100]
• An Initial I (Museo Civico, Padua, M.C. 904)
• A Prophet in an Initial M (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 8 (II.40))^[101]
• An Initial I (Museo Civico, Padua, M.C. 879)
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Victoria and Albert Museum, inv. no. D.228-1906)^[102]
• A Prophet in an Initial S (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 16 (II.43))^{[70][103][104]}
• A Prophet in an Initial O (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.478, no. 12 (II.44))^[105]
• A Prophet in an Initial I (Museo Civico, Padua, M.C. 880)
• A Prophet in an Initial D (Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.718, no. 18 (II.47))^[106]
• A Prophet in an Initial L (formerly, Victoria and Albert Museum, inv. no. D.220-1906; missing since the early 1940s)^[107]
• A Prophet in an Initial E (formerly, Victoria and Albert Museum, inv. no. D.223-1906; missing since the early 1940s)^[107]
• A Prophet in an Initial E (private collection, England)^[108]

Other works

• Saint Augustine in an Initial I (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Codice Corale 19 (Cod. Cor. 19), folio 149)^[109][110]

Notes

1. "Madonna and Child with Sts. John Baptist and Paul (russ?)". Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
2. "Assumption of the Virgin". Web Gallery of Art. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
3. "Madonna and Child". Web Gallery of Art. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
4. "Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci, Madonna col Bambino". Sotheby's. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
5. "The Assumption of Saint Mary Magdalene". National Gallery of Ireland. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
6. "Madonna and Child". artchive.com. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
7. "Silvestro dei Gherarducci, Madonna con Bambino, angeli e Cristo Redentore benedicente". Fondazione Federico Zeri. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
8. "The Madonna and Child". Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
9. Kanter 1994, pp. 131–154
10. Kanter 1994, p. 132 fig. 45, p. 133, p. 137 n. 4
11. Kanter 1994, p. 132 fig. 46, p. 133
12. Kanter 1994, p. 133 text + fig. 47
13. Kanter 1994, pp. 138–139 text + image
14. "Historiated initial from a Gradual". Fitzwilliam Museum. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
15. Kanter 1994, pp. 140–141 text + image
16. Kanter 1994, p. 134, p. 138 n. 7
17. Kanter 1994, p. 133 fig. 48, p. 134
18. "Add MS 35254 C". British Library. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
19. Kanter 1994, pp. 141–144 text + images
20. "Additional 37472, f. 3". British Library. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
21. Kanter 1994, p. 144, p. 145 image
22. Kanter 1994, p. 134 text + fig. 49
23. Costambeys 2007, p. 161, p. 163 fig. 2
24. Russell 1977a
25. Kanter 1994, p. 135 text + fig. 50
26. "Initial "M" with Saints James and Andrew(?)". Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
27. Kanter 1994, p. 135, p. 136 figs. 51–52
28. Bent 1992, pp. 508–510 text + figs. 1–2
29. "Leaf from Antiphonary". Walters Art Museum. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
30. Kanter 1994, pp. 144–146 text, p. 146 image
31. "Initial S[alve sancta parens] from a Gradual: Madonna and Child". Cleveland Museum of Art. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
32. Kanter 1994, pp. 146–148 text + image
33. "Additional 37955A". British Library. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
34. Kanter 1994, pp. 148–150 text + image
35. "Manuscript Illumination with the Birth of the Virgin in an Initial G, from a Gradual". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
36. Kanter 1994, pp. 150–151 text + image
37. "Initial G[audeamus omnes] from a Gradual: The Court of Heaven". Cleveland Museum of Art. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
38. Kanter 1994, pp. 152–153 text + image
39. Kanter 1994, p. 154 text + image
40. Kanter 1994, pp. 155–176
41. "Manuscript (museum number: 434)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
42. Kanter 1994, p. 156 fig. 54, p. 157
43. "MS M.478 no. 6 (I.3)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
44. Kanter 1994, p. 157 text + fig. 55
45. "Manuscript (museum number: 2868)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
46. "Manuscript (museum number: 3074)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
47. Kanter 1994, pp. 166–167 text + image
48. "Manuscript (museum number: D.229-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
49. Kanter 1994, pp. 167–168 text + image
50. "MS M.653.1: Nativity, in an initial P". Morgan Library & Museum. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
51. Kanter 1994, pp. 168–169 text + image
52. "Manuscript (museum number: D.222-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
53. "MS M.653.5: Adoration of the Magi, in an initial E". Morgan Library & Museum. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
54. Kanter 1994, pp. 170–171 text + image
55. "MS M.478 no. 7 (I.16)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
56. Kanter 1994, p. 157 fig. 56, p. 158
57. "Prophet in a Historiated Initial "O" from a Gradual". Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
58. Kanter 1994, p. 158 text + fig. 57
59. "MS M.478 no. 10 (I.18)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
60. "Manuscript (museum number: D.227-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
61. "Manuscript (museum number: D.219-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
62. Kanter 1994, p. 158 fig. 58, p. 159
63. "Manuscript (museum number: D.217-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
64. Kanter 1994, p. 159 text + fig. 59
65. Base Joconde: La Resurrection du Christ, French Ministry of Culture. (in French)
66. Kanter 1994, p. 160 fig. 60
67. "Manuscript (museum number: 432)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
68. Kanter 1994, p. 161, fig. 61
69. "MS M.478 no. 17 (II.5)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
70. Zoomable image of MS M.478.16 and M.478.17
71. "Manuscript (museum number: D.226-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
72. "MS M.478 no. 3 (II.7)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
73. "MS M.478 no. 9 (II.10)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
74. "Manuscript (museum number: 431)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
75. "Cut-out historiated initial V from a Gradual (museum number: 3087)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
76. "MS M.653 no. 3 (II.14)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
77. Zoomable image of MS M.653.3
78. Kanter 1994, pp. 171–172 text + image
79. "MS M.478 no. 4 (II.15)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
80. "Leaf from a gradual with an initial S (museum number: 3045)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
81. Kanter 1994, p. 162, fig. 62
82. "Manuscript (museum number: D.224-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
83. "MS M.478 no. 14 (II.26)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
84. "MS M.653 no. 2 (II.23)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
85. Zoomable image of MS M.653.2
86. Kanter 1994, pp. 173–174 text + image
87. "MS M.653 no. 4 (II.25)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
88. Zoomable image of MS M.653.4
89. Kanter 1994, pp. 174–176 text + image
90. "Manuscript (museum number: D.225-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
91. Kanter 1994, p. 163, fig. 63
92. "Manuscript (museum number: D.221-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
93. "MS M.478 no. 11 (II.31)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
94. Kanter 1994, p. 163, fig. 64
95. "Manuscript (museum number: D.218-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
96. "MS M.478 no. 5 (II.33)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
97. "MS M.478 no. 1 (II.35)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
98. "MS M.478 no. 2 (II.36)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
99. "MS M.478 no. 15 (II.37)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
100. "MS M.478 no. 13 (II.38)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
101. "MS M.478 no. 8 (II.40)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
102. "Manuscript (museum number: D.228-1906)". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
103. "MS M.478 no. 16 (II.43)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
104. Kanter 1994, p. 164, fig. 65
105. "MS M.478 no. 12 (II.44)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
106. "MS M.718 no. 1 (II.47)". Morgan Library & Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
107. Kanter 1994, p. 165 n. 5
108. Russell 1977b
109. "This figured initial "I" is from Choir Book 19". Web Gallery of Art. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
110. Kanter 1994, p. 234, n. 4

References

• George R. Bent (1992). "The Scriptorium at S. Maria degli Angeli and Fourteenth Century Manuscript Illumination: Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci, Don Lorenzo Monaco, and Giovanni del Biondo". Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte. 55 (4): 507–523. doi:10.2307/1482625. JSTOR 1482625.
• Marios Costambeys (2007). The Making of the Middle Ages: Liverpool Essays. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 9781846310683. google books preview
• Laurence B. Kanter (1994). Painting and Illumination in Early Renaissance Florence, 1300-1450. Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 9780870997259. google books preview
• Pope-Hennessy, John & Kanter, Laurence B. (1987). The Robert Lehman Collection I, Italian Paintings. New York, Princeton: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in association with Princeton University Press. ISBN 0870994794.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (see index; plate 32)
• Francis Russell (1977a). "Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci and an Illumination from the Collection of William Young". The Burlington Magazine. 119 (888): 192 + 194–195. JSTOR 878741.
• Francis Russell (1977b). "Another Prophet by Don Silvestro". The Burlington Magazine. 119 (890): 378–379. JSTOR 878794.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Silvestro de' Gherarducci.

• Biography of Silvestro dei Gherarducci (in Italian)