The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Initial C Excised from a Choral Book: St. Anthony with Antonite Friars

Initial C Excised from a Choral Book: St. Anthony with Antonite Friars

c. 1360–70
(Italian, 1325–1425)
Italy, Venice, 15th century
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum
Sheet: 18.5 x 17.5 cm (7 5/16 x 6 7/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1954.796
Location: not on view

Description

The focus of this initial is an imposing portrait of Saint Anthony, one of the original Christian “desert hermits.” Anthony retired into the Egyptian desert where he remained in solitude for many years. He is generally regarded as the founder of monasticism and, along with Saints Jerome, Ambrose, and Gregory the Great, one of the four fathers of the Christian Church. Anthony is identified here by his monastic garb and by the tau (T-shaped Egyptian cross) on the shoulder of his cloak. The religious order bearing his name was founded in the 11th century, and numerous monasteries were founded in his honor. Members of this order are depicted in the lower left.
  • Silver, Nathaniel. 2016. ""Cum Signo T Quod Potentiam Vocant": The Art and Architecture of the Antonite Hospitallers in Trecento Venice". Mitteilungen Des Kunsthistorischen Institutes in Florenz / Hrsg.: Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz, Max-Planck-Institut. 58: 27-57.
  • The Glory of the Painted Page: Manuscript Illuminations from the Permanent Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 6, 2010-April 17, 2011).
    Cleveland Museum of Art, (11/06/2010 - 04/17/2011); "The Glory Of the Painted Page: Manuscript Illuminations from the Permanent Collections"
    Illuminated Manuscripts. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (October 10, 2004-October 2, 2005).
    The Cleveland Museum of Art (10/10/2004 - 10/02/2005); "Illuminated Manuscripts"
    The Decorated Letter and the Illuminator's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 25-December 19, 1993).
  • {{cite web|title=Initial C Excised from a Choral Book: St. Anthony with Antonite Friars|url=false|author=Giustino di Gherardino da Forlì|year=c. 1360–70|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1954.796