Bartolomeo Bon’s Virgin and Child with Kneeling Members of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia Flashcards
Q: Who was Bartolomeo Bon, and what were his key contributions?
A: Bon was a leading sculptor of his time, working with his father Giovanni on major commissions like the Porta della Carta and the Ca’ d’Oro. He was also a member of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia.
Q: What is the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, and what role did it play in Venice?
A: A confraternity focused on charitable acts, offering support to members in need. It symbolized civic unity and religious devotion.
Q: Why were Scuole Grande significant in Venetian society?
A: They provided a sense of self-determination for members, reinforced civic pride, and showcased Venice as a harmonious society.
Q: Where was this sculpture originally displayed?
A: It was installed in the tympanum above the main doorway of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia’s meeting house.
Q: What does the placement of the sculpture in the tympanum symbolize?
A: Passing beneath the Virgin’s protective mantle emphasized spiritual protection and confraternity unity.
Q: Describe the central figures in the relief.
A: The Virgin stands wearing a mantle with a medallion containing the Christ Child, a Byzantine-influenced platytera figure.
Q: What is the significance of the Madonna della Misericordia?
A: It depicts the Virgin sheltering worshippers under her cloak, symbolizing mercy and protection.
Q: What does the Tree of Jesse in the background represent?
A: It symbolizes Christ’s genealogy, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, and emphasizes the divine lineage.
Q: Who are the kneeling figures under the Virgin’s mantle?
A: Members of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia in prayer.
Q: How does this relief connect to Venetian identity?
A: The Virgin, joint patron saint of Venice, reinforces the city’s divine favor and protection.
Q: How did the Scuole reflect Venetian civic life?
A: They combined religious devotion and civic duty, uniting middle and lower classes in acts of charity and participation in public processions.
Q: What material was used for this relief, and why was it chosen?
A: Istrian stone, prized for its whiteness, was used as a base for polychrome decoration and gilding.
Q: How was polychrome decoration applied?
A: Layers of oil, glaze, and pigments like azurite and lapis lazuli were used, with gilding on details like Christ’s halo and the Virgin’s robe.
Q: What evidence remains of the original decorative scheme?
A: Traces of gilding, pigments, and etched patterns, including motifs like pseudo-Kufic script, are visible.
How does Byzantine art influence this sculpture?
A: The Virgin and Child’s composition reflects Byzantine traditions, highlighting Venice’s historical and economic links to the East.
