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Unfinished Design for a Choir Book: Initial with Scene of Christ Entering the Temple.

1408–11
Not on view
Wound around the initial "D" is a complex ornamental design of exquisitely rendered naturalistic flowers, and a portion of musical notation is visible at upper right. Within the capital "D" is a figural scene depicting Christ entering the Temple. This very early, extremely rare, and carefully constructed drawing by Lorenzo Monaco was intended for an illuminated manuscript which was left unfinished, without color, and which was to be included as one of the pages of the famous choir books for the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Florence. The sinuous, elegant figures seen here are beautiful examples of the late Gothic style. The drawing dates from a time when Italian artists were just beginning to use paper and parchment for a creative exploration of ideas. Lorenzo Monaco was the greatest master of early-fifteenth-century Florentine illumination, and his working process in this drawing is revelatory, especially in that he drew the figural scene inside the initial with greater expressive spontaneity, modeling the forms with wash, but simply outlined the large foliage ornament with meticulous precision.

(Carmen C. Bambach)

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Unfinished Design for a Choir Book: Initial with Scene of Christ Entering the Temple.
  • Artist: Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) (Italian, Florence (?) ca. 1370–1425 Florence (?))
  • Date: 1408–11
  • Medium: Pen and pale grayish brown ink, brush and pale grayish brown wash (figural scene), pen and pale brown ink, over construction in leadpoint, ruling and compass work (ornamental parts), ruled lines in red ink, notes and words in pen and dark brown ink (musical score), on vellum
  • Dimensions: Overall: 12 x 9 5/8 in. (30.5 x 24.4 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1999
  • Object Number: 1999.391
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Three Virtues (Temperance, Hope, and Fortitude or Justice) and Studies of a Seated Man, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) Italian, Metalpoint, touches of brush and brown wash, heightened with white (partially oxidized in the figure at the lower left), on reddish violet prepared paper. Some lines retraced in pen and brown ink at a later date., Italian, Florence
Three Virtues (Temperance, Hope, and Fortitude or Justice) and Studies of a Seated Man
Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
ca. 1420
Last Judgment in an Initial C, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) Italian, Tempera and gold on parchment
Last Judgment in an Initial C
Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
ca. 1406–7
The Crucified Christ between the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) Italian, Tempera on wood, gold ground
The Crucified Christ between the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist
Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
ca. 1406
The Nativity, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) Italian, Tempera on wood, gold ground
The Nativity
Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
ca. 1406–10
Abraham, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) Italian, Tempera on wood, gold ground
Abraham
Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
ca. 1408–10

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