The panel in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, representing The burning of Jan Hus, is one of the important works of Stefano di Giovanni (Fig. 1). Professor Zeri has suggested that this painting, on stylistic grounds, was originally part of the famous Arte della Lana alterpiece,1 F. Zeri, ‘Towards a Reconstruction of Sassetta’s Arte della Lana Triptych (1423–6)’, Burlington Magazine, February 1956, p. 36. See also P. Torriti, La Pinacoleca Nazionale di Siena, I dipinti dal XII al XV secolo, 1977, pp. 240–45. F. Zeri, ‘Ricerche sul Sassetta. La Pala dell’Arte della Lana (1423–6)’, Quaderni di Emblema, 2, 1973; F. Zeri, Antologia di Belle Arti, 6, 1978, pp. 149–52. and Professor Scapecchi has recently identified the actual subject of the painting by means of an exceptionally brilliant iconographical and historical investigation, which gives strong confirmation to Professor Zeri’s ideas.2 P. Scapecchi, La Pala dell’Arte della Lana del Sassetta, 1979. Also Mostra di Opere d’Arte Resaurate nelle provincie di Siena e Grosseto, 1979, pp. 116–19. In fact, the iconographical significance of the Melbourne painting also helps clarify the real meaning of the enigmatic inscription formerly written on the alterpiece, and it also lends supporting evidence for the hypothesis that the original provenance of the altarpiece was not the chapel of the Arte della Lana located outside of the church of San Pellegrino in Siena, but rather the church of Santa Maria del Carmine.
The aforementioned reconstruction of the Arte della Lana altarpiece is mainly the result of studies by Zeri. Scapecchi’s subsequent study of the iconography of the altarpiece, as well as of the theological environment in which it was commissioned, establishes the close interrelationships which existed among the Arte della Lana of Siena, the Carmelites of Siena, and the celebration of Corpus Domini.
Scapecchi’s study also enables scholars to understand the seemingly enigmatic inscription on the original frame of the altarpiece – ‘HINC OPUS OMNE PARTRES STEPHANUS CONSTRUXIT AD ARAS SENENSIS JOHANNIS AGENS CITRA LAPSUS ADULTOS’ – with the key word ‘LAPSUS’ referring to heresies, rather than to Stefano di Giovanni stating that he would not make the same mistakes that other painters had made! In fact, the heresy of Jan Hus regarding the doctrine of transubstantiation seems to be exactly the ‘LAPSUS ADULTOS’ referred to in the inscription. Starting with Zeri’s identification of the coat-of-arms of the Arte della Lana in the Melbourne painting, Scapecchi points out the leading role that the Arte della Lana had in Siena regarding the celebration and procession of Corpus Domini, and he also demonstrates the active role of the Carmelites against the heresies of Wyclif and Hus.3 P. Scapecchi, op. cit., pp. 20–24.
Based on descriptions of the altarpiece when it was located in the chapel of the Arte della Lana outside of the church of San Pellegrino, scholars have assumed that this chapel represented the original provenance for which the altarpiece was commissioned. This hypothesis, for instance, has recently been suggested by both Scapecchi and Professor Torriti.4 ibid., pp. 19, 28, 29. Also P. Torriti, op. cit., pp. 240–45 . This problem of provenance, however, is actually quite complicated. Scapecchi suggests that the painting of the altarpiece was completed in 1423, or soon afterwards.5 P. Scapecchi, op. cit., pp. 19–20. On the other hand, Professor Garosi’s recently published initial volume of the inventory of manuscripts in the Biblioteca Comunale of Siena shows that the Cappella dell’Arte della Lana was not built before 1460.6 G. Garosi, Inventario dei Manuscritti della Biblioteca Comunale di Siena, 1978, p. 132. The actual manuscript cited by Garosi contains a copy of ‘Notizie riguardante la Cappella, Piazza, e Scale di San Pellegrino’, and among this Notizie is the information that on 28 July 1460 the Arte della Lana decided ‘di fare edificare nella muraglia di S. Pellegrino una Cappella’. It also appears that the construction of this chapel was completed in 1463.7 Biblioteca Comunale, Siena, MS. A.III.7, p. 33 (Benvoglienti, ‘Miscellanee’). For about forty years, therefore, or perhaps even longer, the altarpiece by Stefano di Giovanni must have been located somewhere else.
Other Notizie taken from this manuscript indicate that an altarpiece was placed in the chapel in 1463, based on an agreement between the Arte della Lana and the church of San Pellegrino; ‘si potesse in esse far celebrare la Messa, quando parra all’Arte, nella festa di Corpus Domini . . . con il quale patti si ponesse il quadro’. Further information indicates that this particular quadro previously had been kept in the Amario della Curia, and that it was placed in the chapel of the Arte della Lana only during Corpus Domini; ‘20 luglio 1507 = fu deliberato, che la Tavola dell’Altare, che stava nel consueto Amario della Curia fosse posta nella Cappella accanto alla Porta della Chiesa di S. Pellegrino, e che la detta Cappella fosse onorata come conveniva alla detta Tavola’.8 ibid., pp. 33–34. If this Tavola is, in fact, a reference to Stefano di Giovanni’s Arte della Lana painting, then it was probably kept in storage at the Duomo (‘Curia’) and brought out once a year for the day of Corpus Domini, and then some time later, perhaps after 1509, was placed in the chapel on a permanent basis.9 ibid., pp. 34–35. In 1509 the Consiglio of the Arte della Lana decided to build the roof of their chapel: ‘fu deliberato . . . fare il tetto alla Capella’. It is not absolutely clear if they are building the roof for the first time, or if they are making major repairs. An argument against this theory is the fact that the Armario della Curia was used to store reliquaries and small portable altarpieces, and it does not seem that it was used for storage of altarpieces as large as that to which the Melbourne panel belonged. In this case, the Tavola mentioned in the manuscript would have been a different one.
As a result of all these facts, a possible logical explanation for the original provenance of the Arte della Lana altarpiece would be the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Siena. The Carmelite iconography of the pinnacle figures of the prophets Elijah and Elisha (Figs 2 and 3) (who are also included in Pietro Lorenzetti’s famous 1329 painting for the same church) and the Carmelite monks in the predella scenes is very clear. The burning of Jan Hus (amidst the banners and shields which contain the coat-of-arms of the Arte della Lana), the subject of the Melbourne painting, is also a visual representation of the victory of the Carmelites in their strong fight against the heresy regarding the doctrine of transubstantiation. In fact, kneeling Carmelite monks are seen in the right foreground of the Melbourne painting. As already mentioned, Scapecchi has pointed out the very strong historical and spiritual ties among the Carmelites of Siena, the Arte della Lana of Siena, and the Festa del Corpus Domini (the mystery of Corpus Domini was actually the subject of the central panel of the Arte della Lana altarpiece). In this sense, the Melbourne painting, and the altarpiece as a whole, is nothing less than a complete visual summary and representation of these historical and spiritual bonds.
In addition, the Arte della Lana were the patrons of the Altare Maggiore of Santa Maria del Carmine during the 15th century, and this close relationship seems to have existed from at least as early as 1370, based on information found in Carapelli and Tizio. For instance, Carapelli writes, ‘“Quest” Arte dal 1370 fino al 1448 faceva la festa solenne del Corpus Domini nella Chiesa del Carmine’.10 Biblioteca Comunale, Siena, MS. Β.VII.10, pp. 30, 60 (A. Carapelli, ‘Notizie delle Chiese, e Cose riguardevoli di Siena’). In 1448 this celebration of Corpus Domini apparently was transferred to the Duomo of Siena by order of Pope Nicholas V. In this case, it is also possible that the Arte della Lana altarpiece was moved from Santa Maria del Carmine to the Duomo at this time, and then some time later moved to the Cappella dell’Arte della Lana next to San Pellegrino. See also Biblioteca Comunale, Siena, MS. B.IV.2, pp. 157–59 (‘Notizie estratte delle Istorie di Sigismondo Tizio’). This date of 1370 associating the Art della Lana with the Carmelites and with Corpus Domini, and the dates of 1423 for Stefano di Giovanni’s altarpiece and of 1460(?) for the building of the Arte della Lana chapel outside S. Pellegrino, combined with the aforementioned allusions to both the Carmelites and the Arte della Lana specifically painted in the altarpiece itself, all lead to the conclusion that the altarpiece to which the Melbourne panel belonged was originally commissioned to be placed in the church of the Carmine in Siena.
Gordon Moran
Notes
This article grew out of research conducted by the Kunsthistorisches Institut, Florence, for its project ‘Die Kirchen von Siena’.
1 F. Zeri, ‘Towards a Reconstruction of Sassetta’s Arte della Lana Triptych (1423–6)’, Burlington Magazine, February 1956, p. 36. See also P. Torriti, La Pinacoleca Nazionale di Siena, I dipinti dal XII al XV secolo, 1977, pp. 240–45. F. Zeri, ‘Ricerche sul Sassetta. La Pala dell’Arte della Lana (1423–6)’, Quaderni di Emblema, 2, 1973; F. Zeri, Antologia di Belle Arti, 6, 1978, pp. 149–52.
2 P. Scapecchi, La Pala dell’Arte della Lana del Sassetta, 1979. Also Mostra di Opere d’Arte Resaurate nelle provincie di Siena e Grosseto, 1979, pp. 116–19.
3 P. Scapecchi, op. cit., pp. 20–24.
4 ibid., pp. 19, 28, 29. Also P. Torriti, op. cit., pp. 240–45.
5 P. Scapecchi, op. cit., pp. 19–20.
6 G. Garosi, Inventario dei Manuscritti della Biblioteca Comunale di Siena, 1978, p. 132.
7 Biblioteca Comunale, Siena, MS. A.III.7, p. 33 (Benvoglienti, ‘Miscellanee’).
8 ibid., pp. 33–34.
9 ibid., pp. 34–35. In 1509 the Consiglio of the Arte della Lana decided to build the roof of their chapel: ‘fu deliberato . . . fare il tetto alla Capella’. It is not absolutely clear if they are building the roof for the first time, or if they are making major repairs.
10 Biblioteca Comunale, Siena, MS. Β.VII.10, pp. 30, 60 (A. Carapelli, ‘Notizie delle Chiese, e Cose riguardevoli di Siena’). In 1448 this celebration of Corpus Domini apparently was transferred to the Duomo of Siena by order of Pope Nicholas V. In this case, it is also possible that the Arte della Lana altarpiece was moved from Santa Maria del Carmine to the Duomo at this time, and then some time later moved to the Cappella dell’Arte della Lana next to San Pellegrino. See also Biblioteca Comunale, Siena, MS. B.IV.2, pp. 157–59 (‘Notizie estratte delle Istorie di Sigismondo Tizio’).