Workshop of Monte di Giovanni del Fora - photo 1

Workshop of Monte di Giovanni del Fora

Lot 19
13.12.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
£ 6 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1105719
Lot 19 | Workshop of Monte di Giovanni del Fora
Estimate value
£ 6 000 – 9 000
Workshop of Monte di Giovanni del Fora

St John the Baptist, historiated initial 'D' cut from a choirbook, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Florence, late 15th century]

A delightful Florentine miniature of the end of the 15th century, rich in background detail, and reminiscent of the work of Monte di Giovanni del Fora.



c.165 x 160mm. Historiated initial 'D' likely opening Feast of St John the Baptist in a Gradual, 'De ventre matris'. John the Baptist, a red robe on top of his hair tunic, holds a scroll that reads 'Ecce Agnus Dei', behind him, in a Tuscan Renaissance landscape, an axe sticks out of the roots of a tree, a reference to Matthew 3:10 'And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire', anticipating the arrival of Christ. Mounted on card.



Illumination:

The jewelled letter-stave and cornucopia of bunched fruits is typical of Florentine illumination of the end of the 15th century: we see identical models in the work of Attavante degli Attavanti and Giovanni and Francesco Boccardi. The style of the miniature itself is reminiscent of the work of Monte di Giovanni del Fora (1448-1532⁄3), one of the most gifted Florentine illuminators of the end of the 15th century. His characteristic technique is seen here in the fine modelling of the John's robes, his hair and face, minutely and skilfully rendered. Similar treatment is found in the illumination of the Antiphonals commissioned by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore (see for example an initial 'H' with the Baptism of Christ in Florence, Archivio dell' Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, Cod. C n. 11, f.4v; or the initial with the Wediding at Cana on f.87, with the view of Piazza San Marco in the background) and we see similar Renaissance landscapes in the Strozzi/Acciaiuoli Hours at the National Library of Victoria, Felton Request 1960 (869-5) - see for example the miniature with the Crucifixion on f.216v.



The brother of Gherardo, with whom he collaborated on luxurious secular and liturgical manuscripts, Monte di Giovanni was a celebrated and prolific illuminator, panel painter and mosaicist, commissioned by the prestigious families and religious orders both within and outside Florence. Rising from the artistic tradition of early Renaissance Florence, the influence of Fra Filippo Lippi has been recognised in his drapery technique. See A. Garzelli, Miniatura fiorentina del rinascimento, 1985, part IX, pp.267-83.

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
09.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
10.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
11.12.2023 09:00 – 18:00
12.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
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