San Sisto Frescoes
Title
San Sisto Frescoes
Description
The frescoes in the San Sisto nun’s choir are divided into two parts. The first, painted in the style of Cavalini between 1295 and 1314, consist of scenes from the life of Mary, including the Presentation of the Virgin, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Adoration of the Magi, and a Pentecost scene. The Pentecost scene also includes the Prophet Joel, Saint Peter Martyr, Saint Dominic, Saint Paul, and John the Baptist. All of these figures were held up as ideal preachers for the Dominicans to emulate. While the nuns could not preach themselves, they were expected to support the friars through their prayers. This is evident in the prevalence of Mary in this fresco program, a figure that nuns were expected to emulate.
The second part of the program, painted by a Sienese artist between 1380-1411, covers the life of Saint Catherine of Siena. A venerated figure in the Dominican order, Catherine is depicted clothing a poor man while receiving a red robe from Christ. While Catherine is depicted as a holy woman, she is not depicted as a traditional nun, such as the figure in the patron’s position in the fresco. This differentiation was important for the Dominican order to further circumscribe and distinguish the boundaries of monastic life for nuns, countering the potential threat Catherine’s life might pose. The inclusion of Saint Eustace in this program most likely tells us that the Sant’Eustachio family, of the rione of the same name, commissioned this cycle and most likely had a patron relationship with the abbey.
The second part of the program, painted by a Sienese artist between 1380-1411, covers the life of Saint Catherine of Siena. A venerated figure in the Dominican order, Catherine is depicted clothing a poor man while receiving a red robe from Christ. While Catherine is depicted as a holy woman, she is not depicted as a traditional nun, such as the figure in the patron’s position in the fresco. This differentiation was important for the Dominican order to further circumscribe and distinguish the boundaries of monastic life for nuns, countering the potential threat Catherine’s life might pose. The inclusion of Saint Eustace in this program most likely tells us that the Sant’Eustachio family, of the rione of the same name, commissioned this cycle and most likely had a patron relationship with the abbey.
Creator
Russell Star-Lack (2020)
Source
Lloyd, Joan Barclay. “Paintings for Dominican Nuns: A New Look at the Images of Saints, Scenes from the New Testament and Apocrypha, and Episdoes from the Life of Saint Catherine of Siena in the Medieval Apse of San Sisto Vecchio in Rome.” Papers of the British School at Rome 80 (2012): 189–232.
Date
1353
Identifier
sansistofrescoes_2019
Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Piazzale Numa Pompilio, 8, 00153 Roma RM
Description
The frescoes in the San Sisto nun’s choir are divided into two parts. The first, painted in the style of Cavalini between 1295 and 1314, consist of scenes from the life of Mary, including the Presentation of the Virgin, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Adoration of the Magi, and a Pentecost scene. The Pentecost scene also includes the Prophet Joel, Saint Peter Martyr, Saint Dominic, Saint Paul, and John the Baptist. All of these figures were held up as ideal preachers for the Dominicans to emulate. While the nuns could not preach themselves, they were expected to support the friars through their prayers. This is evident in the prevalence of Mary in this fresco program, a figure that nuns were expected to emulate.The second part of the program, painted by a Sienese artist between 1380-1411, covers the life of Saint Catherine of Siena. A venerated figure in the Dominican order, Catherine is depicted clothing a poor man while receiving a red robe from Christ. While Catherine is depicted as a holy woman, she is not depicted as a traditional nun, such as the figure in the patron’s position in the fresco. This differentiation was important for the Dominican order to further circumscribe and distinguish the boundaries of monastic life for nuns, countering the potential threat Catherine’s life might pose. The inclusion of Saint Eustace in this program most likely tells us that the Sant’Eustachio family, of the rione of the same name, commissioned this cycle and most likely had a patron relationship with the abbey.