LOCATION : Bergamo, Matris Domini Monastery Nun's Chapel

DIMENSIONS: Roundel A : diam. 49 cms.; Roundels B-C : diam. 40 cms.; Roundels D-E: diam. 40.5 cms.

PROVENANCE : Original location

CHRONOLOGY: End of XIII - Beginning of XIV century

AUTHOR : Unknown

SUBJECT(S): Rose with 5 medallions :

A -- Virgin and Child

B -- Angel with book

C -- Preaching Angel

D -- St. Dominic

E -- St. Peter Martyr

CRITICAL NOTES: This rose window is the first Lombard stained glass still conserved. In C. Bertelli's opinion, it is painted by a glazier influenced by the Giottesque "Chiaravalle Masters". On the other hand, C. Travi finds some relationship to the miniatures of Codex 618 (Bergamo, Bibl. Civica), and dates the panels before 1308, when the Monastery was transformed.

C. Pirina attributes this window to a Dominican glazier belonging to the cultural background of the Pisano sculptors' circle and influenced by the glass decorations of their pulpits (the Tomb of San Domenico in Bologna, the pulpits of Sant'Andrea in Pistoia and of the Siena Cathedral).

CONDITION: This window was probably restored in 1832 when extensive restoration, according to documentation, was executed in the chapel. The grisaille on pot metal glass is almost completely effaced. Many trace-lines were repainted in the ninenteenth century with cold paint.

Some broken glass has been restored using heavy mending leads. Panel C presents visible breakage that has been reconnected by leads. It has been remounted on the exterior face of the mullion. Panels D and E have lost a great part of the grisaille and are repainted using a shading applied with cold paint. During restoration the position of panels D and E was exchanged. St. Dominic's shoulder is modern glass.

BIBLIOGRAPHY :

• Milano, A.S.M. Fondo religione, Cart. 3041, fasc.2

• A.A.V.V. Il Monastero Matris Domini in Bergamo, Bergamo, 1980

• C. PIRINA The Matris Domini Monastery Rose Window in "I Laboratori vetrari lombardi sotto il dominio dei Visconti e degli Sforza", Convegno Internazionale CVMA, Milano, 1988

• C. BERTELLI Introduction to Il millennio ambrosiano - La nuova città dal Comune alla Signoria, Milano, 1989

• C. TRAVI Catalogue entry no. 24 in I pittori bergamaschi dal XIII al XIX secolo.Le origini, Bergamo, 1992, pp. 248-49

• C. PIRINA Il maestro del rosone del monastero Matris Domini a Bergamo, in "Arte lombarda", no. 108-109, 1994, vol. 1-2, pp.45-50

PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDITS: Studio Fotografico DA-RE, Bergamo

TRANSLATION: Suzanne Miele