Artwork
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic is an oil painting by the Early Renaissance artist Cosimo Rosselli. It dates from 1450 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1450, this oil painting by Cosimo Rosselli portrays Saint Dominic within a richly gilded altarpiece. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the early Renaissance interest in devotional imagery.
Subject & Meaning
At the center stands a solitary figure in a black habit, holding a book and a red object that may represent a candle or cloth, symbols of the saint’s scholarly and spiritual duties. Surrounding him are diminutive kneeling and floating figures, some bearing books or gesturing upward, suggesting a narrative of Dominican piety and teaching.
Technique & Style
Rosselli employs oil on panel to achieve deep chiaroscuro, contrasting a dark background with luminous gold framing and vivid robes. The decorative border features carved foliage motifs, while the semi‑circular window above the saint bears the inscription “DOMINICE” in gold, enhancing the work’s liturgical character.
History & Provenance
The Florentine artist, active in Pisa before establishing his career in Florence, produced this piece during a period when he was receiving commissions for both panel paintings and later frescoes, including work in the Sistine Chapel. Though later eclipsed by peers such as Botticelli and Perugino, Rosselli’s reputation secured the painting’s entry into a major European museum collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cosimo Rosselli (Italian: ; 1439–1507) was an Italian painter of the Quattrocento, active mainly in his birthplace of Florence, but also in Pisa earlier in his career and in 1481–82 in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where…
