Artwork

Szene aus dem Leben des Hl. Vinzenz Ferrer: Die Wiedererweckung des von seiner wahnsinnigen Mutter zerstückelten und gebratenen Kindes

Szene aus dem Leben des Hl. Vinzenz Ferrer: Die Wiedererweckung des von seiner wahnsinnigen Mutter zerstückelten und gebratenen Kindes 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 Agnolo degli Erri portrays a dramatic episode from the hagiography of Saint Vincent Ferrer. Executed in the Gothic idiom of the Italian Quattrocento, the work forms part of a larger narrative series on saints and is presently housed in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Subject & Meaning

The composition visualises a legend in which a woman, driven to madness, murders and cooks her infant. According to the story, Saint Vincent intervenes after the child’s death, restoring it to life. The scene underscores themes of divine mercy and the saint’s miraculous intercession.

Technique & Style

Erri employs tempera on panel, characteristic of the period’s restrained palette and linear precision. Figures are rendered with elongated proportions and delicate drapery, while the spatial arrangement remains shallow, focusing attention on the central miracle. Gold leaf accents highlight the holy figure’s aura.

History & Provenance

Created in Modena, where the Erri family operated a workshop, the painting was likely commissioned for a devotional context. It entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection during the 19th‑century acquisitions of Italian medieval art, where it remains catalogued among the museum’s Gothic holdings.

Context

The work reflects the broader Italian Renaissance transition, where Gothic conventions coexisted with emerging naturalism. Its narrative function aligns with contemporary didactic art, intended to inspire piety by depicting the extraordinary deeds of saints such as Vincent Ferrer, a Dominican preacher renowned across Europe.