Portrait of Girolamo Savonarola Painted on Porcelain, After Fra Bartolomeo

Details

Description

The painting is a meticulous, scaled-down replica on a porcelain plaque of the famous Renaissance oil painting, “Portrait of Girolamo … Read more The painting is a meticulous, scaled-down replica on a porcelain plaque of the famous Renaissance oil painting, “Portrait of Girolamo Savonarola,” painted around 1498 by the artist Fra Bartolomeo, shortly before the puritanical prophet was executed. The original is currently in the collection of the Museum di San Marco, Florence.

SUBJECT: No saint, Savonarola was a fiery religious reformer and temporary de facto ruler of Florence. He is most famous for orchestrating the "Bonfire of the Vanities" in 1497, where citizens burned secular books, cosmetics and (gasp!) expensive art. His extreme criticisms of church corruption led to his excommunication by the Pope. Speaking truth to power added to the pressure for his death. He is always instantly recognizable by his distinctively sharp, aquiline profile and his dark Dominican cowl.

MATERIALS: This specific piece is an antique porcelain portrait plaque produced circa 1900. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a massive revival of appreciation for Renaissance masters. European porcelain centers—most notably in Germany (such as the famous KPM factories in Berlin or firms in Thuringia) and France—specialized in creating these miniature, highly detailed copies of museum paintings to be fired onto porcelain plaques. They were highly sought-after luxury souvenirs for wealthy travelers undertaking the European "Grand Tour."

FRAME: As with this piece, such copies made for travelers were typically sold in ornate, ebonized wooden frames. The back of this oval frame reveals a dual-purpose display system common for small, decorative cabinet objects of the period. The loop at the very top allows the piece to be hung traditionally on a wall. Additionally, the long brass tension rod running vertically down the middle acts as a fold-out leg. When pull-tension is applied, the rod bows outward slightly away from the cardboard backing, allowing the frame to stand freely on a tabletop, desk, or display cabinet like a modern picture frame.

Signature/Maker’s Mark: Nonexistent. Image dimensions: 3 inches high x 2.5 inches wide. See less