Artwork

Szene aus dem Leben des Hl. Vinzenz Ferrer: Der Vater führt den Knaben Vinzenz zu den Dominikaners, von denen er drei Tage später eingekleidet wird

Szene aus dem Leben des Hl. Vinzenz Ferrer: Der Vater führt den Knaben Vinzenz zu den Dominikaners, von denen er drei Tage später eingekleidet wird is an unspecified painting by Agnolo degli Erri. It is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Overview

A mid‑15th‑century panel by the Modenese painter Agnolo degli Erri illustrates a moment from the early life of Saint Vincent Ferrer. Executed in the Gothic idiom of the Italian Quattrocento, the work forms part of a larger narrative series on the saint’s biography. The painting is presently conserved in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures the scene in which a father leads his son, the future Vincent, to a group of Dominican friars. Within the courtyard setting, the friars are shown preparing to receive the boy as a novice, an event that foreshadows his later religious vocation. The episode emphasizes themes of guidance, devotion, and the formative steps toward sanctity.

Technique & Style

Rendered with the delicate linearity characteristic of Gothic panel painting, the work employs a restrained palette of earth tones and muted reds. Figures are outlined with fine brushwork, while modest modeling suggests depth without the dramatic chiaroscuro of later Renaissance art. Architectural elements—arched openings, tiled roof, and a cross‑topped façade—frame the narrative space.

History & Provenance

Agnolo degli Erri, active in Modena alongside his brothers, produced this panel as part of a devotional series for a local patron. The painting entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in the early 20th century, where it has been displayed as an example of regional Gothic painting and the visual transmission of saintly legends.