The Acts of St Philip

Traditionally today is the feast of St Philip and St James, although since the 1950s they have moved around the calendar in early May.

The Crucifixion of St Philip 

Filippino Lippi from 1487-1502 

Cappella Strozzi, Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Image: scuolaecclesiamater.org

Many more images of St Philip and St James can be found, with an Italian post at the same website, here

Here, from New Advent, are the texts of  The Acts of Philip  recording his missionary work as an Apostle and his eventual martyrdom- which includes acautionary story about the need to forgive and not curse our enemies.

The Way of Salvation - details

Following on from my previous post I have found a view of part of Andrea di Firenze's The Way of Salvation which shows some of the figures of the ecclesiastical and temporal hierarchy in more detail, including the figure of the Knight of the Garter, who is very prominent in the centre foreground. Ages ago I read a piece which tried to identify him, but have not got it to hand.

Image:mystudios.com

Here are two more details:

The first shows the figures to the left of the previous group, with members of various religious orders and a bishop:

The Dominicans preaching:

Images: arthistory390 on Flickr

Finally, here is a detail from the upper right of the painting:

Image:brightscecilia.com

The Way of Salvation

As we are in the week following the Feast of Christ the King (OF) and as we come to the beginning of Advent, with its eschatalogical themes, it seems appropriate to post this image of The Way of Salvation of circa 1365-1368.

It was painted by Andrea da Firenze or di Bonaiuto (circa 1346 - post May 16, 1379) in what is now the Cappella Spagnuolo in Florence's basilica of Santa Maria Novella. This is the Dominican church, and the painting would have been seen by Bishop Richard Fleming when he was in attendance on Pope Martin V who lived at Sta Maria Novella in 1418-20 - indeed Fleming was almost certainly consecrated as a bishop at the basilica or in the papal apartments which still survive there.

Image: Web Gallery of Art

A larger photograph of the painting can be viewed here.

As readers will see the figures at the lower base are reproduced in the mast head to this blog. Not only is there the Fleming connection, but the figures of Pope and Emperor, King, Cardinal, Bishops and religious seemed to me to encapsulate many of the themes the Clever Boy wants to write about. The Clever Boy is not that clever when it comes to technical matters, so the mast head, along with the fleur-de-lys at the side are the work of his computational Eminence grise - and apologies to him for not having acknowledged his work earlier on in the year.

The black and white dogs are, of course the domini canes, and the figure in a white hooded jupon is one of the earliest depictions of a Knight of the Garter - the garter can be seen below his left knee. Also present are St Bridget of Sweden and Queen Joanna I of Naples.

A wonderful picture, with plenty to look at and reflect upon. There is a lengthy interpretive online article here.