Super-frontal depicting the Life of Saint Rita of Cascia

Artists

Description

The superfrontal, for an altar, has a crimson plain weave silk ground with embroidered appliqués and embroidered decoration. The stitches employed are primarily satin and couched. The appliqués have a linen plain weave ground and are framed with padded embroidery. There are five medallions depicting the life of Saint Rita of Cascia, an Augustinian nun, interspersed with four cherubs and flowers (tulips and carnations), some small birds and insects. From left to right the scenes depict: a nun saint wearing a black and white habit, with a wound in her forehead, lying in her coffin; a nun saint kneeling at an altar with a Corpus, receiving a head wound from Christ's crown of thorns; a novice at her clothing; a young nun with St. Nicholas of Tolentino (an Augustinian holding a lily), St. Augustine of Hippo (a bishop saint), and St. John the Baptist; the future nun as a baby with her parents - the bed hangings contain bee motifs. The border is a dagged design defined by a double row of gilt metallic yarns with a small flower in each of the points. The backing (not contemporary) is a silk plain weave.

Dimensions

21 x 142.5 cm (8 1/4 x 56 1/8 in.)

Provenance

Nettie G. Naumburg, New York, Bequest to the Fogg Art Museum, 1930.