Artwork
Saint Reparata Being Prepared for Execution
Saint Reparata Being Prepared for Execution is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Bernardo Daddi. It dates from 1300 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Saint Reparata Being Prepared for Execution is executed in tempera on panel, a technique characteristic of early Trecento Italian panel painting.
Saint Reparata Being Prepared for Execution is executed in tempera on panel, a technique characteristic of early Trecento Italian panel painting. The work is relatively modest in scale, measuring 24.4 cm in height by 34.6 cm in width, a horizontal format suited to a narrative religious scene. The use of tempera on a wooden support is consistent with the production methods of Bernardo Daddi, and the panel is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
History & Provenance
The painting is attributed to the Italian artist Bernardo Daddi and dated to around 1300, with some cataloguing extending the creation window to 1300–1340. The current provenance places the artwork within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is held as a religious work depicting the martyrdom of Saint Reparata.
Context
Saint Reparata Being Prepared for Execution portrays the martyred early Christian saint whose cult had particular resonance in Florence, where a church dedicated to her preceded the present cathedral. Scholars treat the piece as an early example of Daddi's devotional imagery, reflecting the artistic and theological climate of early 14th-century Florence. Its iconography and technique have been examined in studies of Florentine panel painting, positioning it within the broader development of Italian religious art.
Overview
Bernardo Daddi, a prominent Florentine painter of the early 14th century, created Saint Reparata Being Prepared for Execution around 1300. This tempera painting depicts a religious narrative, showcasing the artist's engagement with devotional themes. The work is notable for its blend of traditional stylistic elements with emerging naturalistic tendencies characteristic of the nascent Italian Renaissance. It is currently housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on Saint Reparata, a figure from early Christian martyrdom, as she is led toward her fate. The scene unfolds with a solemnity typical of devotional art from the period, intended to inspire contemplation and reverence. Daddi's small-scale work likely served a private or semi-private context, offering viewers a visual narrative of faith and sacrifice.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardo Daddi (c. 1280 – 1348) was an early Italian Renaissance painter and the leading painter of Florence of his generation. He was one of the artists who contributed to the revolutionary art of the Renaissance,…
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