A rare example of Savoyard art

44 Trinity

Historiated initial ‘G’ on a cutting from a choirbook on vellum. France, Savoy, c. 1450.

251 x 250 mm. – Historiated initial ‘G’, initial letter in pale pink, adorned by blue acanthus and set on a square-shaped highly burnished gold ground decorated in the spandrels with blue acanthus leaves and flowers in blue, green and red. – Minor flaking to the gold ground and to some parts of the angels’ robes, faces of some of the angels retouched.

PROVENANCE: European private collection.

TEXT: Judged by its subject this miniature must have accompanied a text related to Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, celebrating the doctrine of Trinity, the three persons of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The large dimensions of the initial suggest that it comes from a choirbook.

ILLUMINATION: This representation of Trinity is dominated by the figure of God the Father sitting on a green throne in the centre. The bright blue background covered with numerous stars suggests that this scene takes place in heaven. However, the tiled floor and the throne, rendered with perspective and carefully modelled in gradated shades of green with the light coming from the left, add depth to the scene and precisely define space. God the Father is holding with both hands the cross onto which the Body of Christ is nailed. Between both the dove of the Holy Spirit is hovering. God the Father is dressed in a bright blue robe and a pale pink cloak that billows on the ground in sharp edged creases. In depicting God the Father, who is presented in frontal view directly facing the beholder, the miniaturist focused on an impressively detailed description of the facial features that are dominated by strong cheekbones.The fragile body of Christ on the Cross, rendered on a distinctly smaller scale, is impressively contrasted by the massive figure of God the Father. Four angels, dressed alternately in pale blue and rose-coloured robes, are kneeling and standing to each side of the throne. The palette of our artist is characterized by a predilection for a bright blue and pale pastel shades effectively contrasted by the sporadic use of a brilliant red. The drapery folds as well as the imposing facial features of God the Father are stylistic traits reminiscent of Netherlandish painting at the time of the Master of Flémalle and Jan van Eyck. The setting, which betrays a well-defined sense of three-dimensionality and plasticity, calls to mind Italian models, however, while the decorative vocabulary, comprising thick scrolling acanthus leaves and stylized thistle flowers set against a ground of highly burnished gold, indicates a German influence.Taking into account all these observations relating to the stylistic components united in this Trinity miniature we may postulate that its place of origin was exposed to a multitude of different influences. This applies to Savoy, a region located between Italy, France and Switzerland. Artistic production in Savoy, where three countries meet, was exposed to diverse stylistic tendencies and adsorbed these elements to form a new composite idiom; the court of the dukes of Savoy attracted Italian, German and French artists.The Apocalypse of Savoy (Escorial, ms. E.Vit.5; exh. cat.Turin 2006, pl. p. 172) illuminated around 1428-34 by Jean Bapteur, a native of Fribourg who travelled to Italy in 1427, and Péronet Lamy is probably the most famous example in the genre of manuscript illumination of this urbane trend in Savoy art.Two anonymous but nevertheless gifted artists illuminated the Hours of Louis de Savoie (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, lat. 9473; Avril/Reynaud 1993, pl. 114); they employed naturalistic and narrative elements that seem to derive directly from Flemish models. In Savoy illumination no set pattern exists for the border decoration. We find borders comprising gold ivyleaf and acanthus in full colours following the nomenclature of decorative motifs in France (e.g. Péronet Lamy in a missal in Turin, Bibl. Reale, ms.Varia 168; cf. exh. cat.Turin 2006, no. 105). Then again there are types of border decoration that merge various styles, as e.g. in the breviary by the Italian Maestro delle Vitae imperatorum (Paris,BN, lat. 760, cf. exh. cat.Turin 2006, pl. 110), where Italian elements are combined with German and French motifs. An antiphonary made to the order of the chapter of Ivrea (Ivrea, Biblioteca capitolare, cod. 126; exh. cat.Turin 2006, pl. 114) can be cited as another telling example of this fusion of styles. The decorative vocabulary of the Master of the Antiphonary of Ivrea includes broadly scrolled acanthus leaves, red and blue carnations and other fanciful flowers, and derives from German or Bohemian models. This Trinity miniature originates from a choirbook, which must have been an elaborate and luxurious commission judged by the rich use of gold and the size of the initial.The acanthus leaves on highly burnished gold ground are a decorative element to be found in German illumination. The drapery ornately arranged into sharp creases, the study of three-dimensionality and perspective, and the impressive modulation of facial features signal that our artist adopted the latest stylistic developments. To speculate about his origin would be an interesting question. One could imagine that he comes from Fribourg like Jean Bapteur. Although there is as yet no other manuscript attributable to this miniaturist, he must have been one of the leading figures in Savoyard book illumination.

LITERATURE: The miniature is hitherto unpublished. Avril/Reynaud 1993; exh. cat.Turin 2006.