Artwork
tabla de San Domenico de Guzmán
tabla de San Domenico de Guzmán is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1300 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
At its centre stands a tall figure dressed in a black habit over a white garment, clutching a book and a staff topped with a fleur‑de‑lis.
The work titled “Tabla de San Domenico de Guzmán” is a painted panel composed of a series of miniature vignettes, each set within an orange‑framed border against a deep, uniform background. At its centre stands a tall figure dressed in a black habit over a white garment, clutching a book and a staff topped with a fleur‑de‑lis. The surrounding compartments contain a variety of figures in white or dark robes, arranged singly or in small groups.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is identified as Saint Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order, signified by his habit and the symbolic staff. The peripheral scenes likely illustrate episodes from the saint’s life, miracles, or the activities of his followers, though the exact narratives are not labeled. The juxtaposition of white‑clad and dark‑clad figures may reflect themes of spiritual purity versus worldly concerns.
Technique & Style
Executed in a medieval visual language, the panel employs bold contour lines and a vivid palette of warm oranges, reds, and cool blues. The orange frames that enclose each vignette create a rhythmic visual structure, while the dark ground unifies the composition. The painting’s flat modeling and lack of perspective are characteristic of pre‑Renaissance devotional art.
History & Provenance
The title links the piece to San Domenico de Guzmán, a church or chapel dedicated to the saint, suggesting it was originally commissioned for a liturgical setting there. No specific dates or artist attributions are recorded, and the work’s later ownership history remains undocumented.
Context
Panels of this type were commonly used in Spanish religious contexts during the late medieval period to convey hagiographic narratives to congregations. The inclusion of a fleur‑de‑lis on the staff may indicate a connection to French patronage or heraldic symbolism, reflecting the broader cultural exchanges of the era.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Altarpiece of Saint Peter Martyr
Altarpiece of Saint Anthony the Abbot
Retable of Saints Athanasius, Blaise, and Agatha
Sermon of Saint Albertus Magnus
Saint Augustine Meditates on the Trinity when the Child Jesus Appears before him
Altarpiece of Saint Vincent
Saint Giles with Christ Triumphant over Satan and the Mission of the Apostles
St. Bonaventure, pendant to St. Louis
Altarpiece of Saints Michael and Anthony Abbot
The mass of St. Gregory
Saint Anthony the Abbot Tormented by Demons
Consecration of Saint Augustine