Fra Angelico (formerly attributed to the Master of the Griggs Crucifixion), Scenes from Boccaccio's 'Il ninfale fiesolano', ca. 1415-1420, tempera on panel, 11 3/8 in. x 49 13/16 in. (28.9 cm. x 126.5 cm.), This panel once formed the front of a cassone, a chest used in a Florentine household for storing fine clothes. A bride's dowry traditionally included such cases. This panel depicts scenes from Giovanni Boccaccio's poem Il Ninfale Fiesolano (The Nymphs of Fiesole), written ca. 1343. The painting recounts the tale of the tragic love of a mortal youth (Africo) for one of the nymphs (Mensola) in the entourage of goddess Diana. In the first scene, Diana holds court in a verdant garden, warning the nymphs to beware of men. The heroine Mensola, to the right, points to the second scene, in which Venus, the goddess of love, appears to the handsome Africo in a dream. In scene three, his parents warn Africo not to pursue Diana's nymphs. Finally, he reveals himself to Mensola (swimming with her companions), who falls in love at the sight of him. A companion chest, now lost, might have completed the tale with additional scenes, including the transformation of the nymph Mensola into the river of the same name. In 2005 Laurence Kantor, a noted scholar of early Italian art, hypothesized that this work was painted by an adolescent Guido di Pietro, later known as Fra Angelico, then learning his art in the workshop of Lorenzo Monaco.
Keywords:
Fra Angelico, formerly attributed, Master, Griggs Crucifixion, Scenes, Boccaccio's 'Il ninfale fiesolano', ca. 1415-1420, tempera, panel, 11 3/8 . x 49 13/16, 28.9 cm. x 126.5 cm., panel, formed, front, cassone, chest, Florentine household, storing fine clothes., bride's dowry traditionally included, cases., panel depicts scenes, Giovanni Boccaccio's poem Il Ninfale Fiesolano, Nymphs, Fiesole, written ca. 1343., painting recounts, tale, tragic love, mortal youth, Africo, nymphs, Mensola, entourage, goddess Diana., first scene, Diana holds court, verdant garden, warning, nymphs, beware, men., heroine Mensola, right, points, second scene, Venus, goddess, love, handsome Africo, dream., scene three, parents warn Africo, pursue Diana's nymphs. Finally, reveals, Mensola, swimming, companions, falls, love, sight, companion chest, now lost, might, completed, tale, additional scenes, transformation, nymph Mensola, river, name., 2005 Laurence Kantor, noted scholar, early Italian art, hypothesized, work, painted, adolescent Guido di Pietro, later, Fra Angelico, learning, art, workshop, Lorenzo Monaco
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