How Fra Angelico and Signorelli Saw the End of the World

221 Pages·2003·1.11 MB·English

by  Creighton Gilbert

C r e i g h to n G i l b e rt
How Fra Angelico & Signorelli Saw the
E n d o f t h e p W o r l d
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How Fra Angelico and Signorelli Saw the End of the World
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How Fra Angelico and Signorelli Saw
the End o f t h e W o r l d
Creighton e. Gilbert
p
The Pennsylvania State University Press • University Park, Pennsylvania
Gilbert.FrontMatter 10/23/02 3:07 PM Page iv
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gilbert, Creighton E.
How Fra Angelico and Signorelli saw the end of the world /
Creighton E. Gilbert
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
0-271-02140-3 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Signorelli, Luca, 1441?–1523. End of the world. 2. Signorelli,
Luca, 1441?–1523—Criticism and interpretation. 3. Angelico,
fra, ca. 1400–1455—Criticism and interpretation. 4. Mural
painting and decoration, Renaissance—Italy—Orvieto.
5. Judgment Day in art. 6. Cappella della Madonna di San Brizio
(Duomo di Orvieto) I. Signorelli, Luca, 1441?–1523. II. Title.
623.S5 A66 2001
759.5'09'024—dc21 2001021479
Copyright © 2003    
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Published by The Pennsylvania State University Press,
University Park, PA 16802-1003
:Benozzo Gozzoli, Portrait of a Friari,drawing.
Chantilly, Musée Condé, recto
It is the policy of The Pennsylvania State University Press to
use acid-free paper. Publications on uncoated stock satisfy the minimum
requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48–1992.
Gilbert.FrontMatter 10/23/02 3:07 PM Page v
to
James Ackerman and Craig Smyth
and in memory of
H. W. Janson
for help proffered when it signified
p
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
List of Illustrations ix
Introduction xi
 
The Place as a Precondition 1
 
Planning the Frescoes 23
 
Intermission, 1448–1499 61
 
Signorelli Paints the Inner Bay 71
 
The Imagery of the Outer Bay 117
Envoi 157
Notes 161
Bibliography 189
Index 195
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  
Unless otherwise noted, location of the works below is the Cappella Nuova of Orvieto Cathedral
in Orvieto, Italy, and the work is by Luca Signorelli.
. 1 The Damned (detail of central area of Fig. 45) .  Nardo di Cione, Last Judgment.Florence,
.  Reliquary of the “Corporal,” Orvieto Cathe- Santa Maria Novella, Strozzi Chapel
dral, Cappella del Corporale .  Heaven (detail of Fig. 22, left wall)
.  Orvieto Cathedral, general view. Copyright .  Ascent to Heaven (detail of Fig. 14)
Alinari / Art Resource, New York .  Scheme of the altar wall, after Vischer
.  Orvieto Cathedral, plan as of 1450 .  Scheme of the left wall, after Vischer
.  Orvieto Cathedral, plan showing original .  Scheme of the right wall, after Vischer
curved apse and additions, to 1450 .  Self-portrait of Signorelli with Fra Angelico
.  Orvieto Cathedral, façade. Copyright Alinari / (detail of Fig. 78)
Art Resource, New York .  Benozzo Gozzoli, Portrait of a Friar,drawing.
.  Pier with reliefs of antetypes of Christ, Chantilly, Musée Condé, recto
Orvieto Cathedral façade .  Benozzo Gozzoli, Petrarch, Dante, and Giotto.
.  Detail of Fig. 7, lower left section Montefalco, San Francesco, choir, wainscot
.  View into the Cappella Nuova .  Fra Angelico, Last Judgment,Ascension, and
.  Giotto, Last Judgment.Padua, Arena Chapel Pentecost.Rome, Galleria Nazionale
.  Fra Angelico, Last Judgment. Florence, Museo .  Pietro Baroni, Pietà and Saints
di San Marco .  Pier with Last Judgment, Orvieto Cathedral
.  Fra Angelico and Signorelli, Vault of façade (detail of Fig. 6)
Cappella Nuova .  Giovanni Dalmata, Last Judgment, lunette of
.  Fra Angelico, Prophets (detail of Fig. 12) tomb of Pope Paul II. Rome, Saint Peter’s
.  Fra Angelico, Last Judgment.Berlin, .  Shop of Mino da Fiesole, Last Judgment,
Gemäldegalerie lunette of tomb of Cardinal Ammanati.
.  Barna, Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem,left half. Rome, Sant’ Agostino, cloister
San Gimignano, Collegiata .  Bishop saint, in window embrasure of altar
.  Barna, Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem,right half. wall
San Gimignano, Collegiata .  Archangel Michael, in embrasure of side
.  Fra Filippo Lippi, Martyrdom of the Baptist, window in altar wall
detail of left corner. Prato, Cathedral .  Archangel Gabriel, in embrasure of side win-
.  Benozzo Gozzoli, Sheet of drawings. dow in altar wall
Chantilly, Musée Condé, verso .  Archangel Raphael with Tobias, in embrasure
.  Fra Angelico, Christ Judging (detail of Fig. 12) of side window in altar wall
.  Dome with Last Judgment mosaic. Florence, .  Archangel Phanuel/Uriel, in embrasure of
Baptistery side window in altar wall
.  Attributed to Francesco Traini, Last Judgment. .  Ascent of the Blessed, altar wall
Pisa, Campo Santo .  Assembly of the Blessed at Josaphat, side wall