Master of the Dossale di Reggio

(active in the first quarter of the 14th Century)
Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Nicholas and Saint Donnino,
tempera on panel, 23.8 x 23.8 cm, framed
We are grateful to Emanuele Zappasodi for suggesting the attribution and for researching the recent history of the present painting.

The present panel by the Master of the Dossale di Reggio is a significant example of early Trecento painting in Emilia. The work, which evidently has a proto-giottesque heritage, relates to the dossal representing the Incredulity of Saint Thomas and Saints conserved in the Galleria Antonio Fontanesi, Reggio Emilia, from which this anonymous master, active during the first three decades of the fourteenth century, receives his moniker.

The three saints in the present work, as Zappasodi has demonstrated, relate to a small panel depicting the Baptism of Christ in the Fondazione Roberto Longhi, Florence. Indeed, the two panels reveal extraordinary similarities that point to their having once belonged to the same altarpiece: this appears to be confirmed by the identical width of the two panels, as well as their same border treatment with simple punched stars flanked and outlined in dark green directly over the gold ground. The workmanship of the gold ground is also similar and typical of painting of the early Trecento in the area between Rimini and Bologna.

Comparing the backs of the panels, it appears both received the same type of cradling work, and both show similar customs seals dated 1st February 1935, thereby confirming their shared provenance. A direct close analysis of the wood veins and of the saw marks visible on both panels, reveals that they were to have been cut and separated, probably during the 1930s, and that originally they formed two orders of a single diptych wing. The Baptism was cut immediately below the red band which now serves as its base, but would have originally marked out the two registers into which the wing was divided (similar measures were deployed on another work attributed to the Master of the Dossale di Reggio: the Crucifixion and Saints in the Alana collection, Newark, Delaware). Written in white on the above-mentioned red band were the names of the saints depicted in the present painting, these names would originally have been above the respective figures before the work was cut and separated.

The gesture of blessing of Saint Nicholas is reminiscent of various figures in the Reggio dossal, while the presence of the third century Christian martyr Saint Donnino, patron saint of Fidenza, contributes significantly to placing the present panel in the Emilian area. Significantly, in the Longhi collection painting there is no trace of the titulus or name title of the first saint on the left in the present panel, who is depicted in a Dominican habit. Indeed, this figure is identified by a cartouche held in his left hand, marked with a (partially lost) inscription that reads: ‘S(anctus) [tho] / MA [s] / DE [A] / QU[INO]’ and perhaps: [OR]/D/I[N]/IS’. The presence of Saint Thomas Aquinas is of particular importance. Indeed, the saint was canonised in 1323, thus establishing a terminus post quem for the making of the present work.
Specialist: Mark MacDonnell