Reliquary Bust of a Saint

Abstract

This painted wood bust has a cavity in the head to hold relics. (The crown masks the opening.) The polychrome flesh tones and gilding on the hair are original, whereas the painting on the garment, lace on the neck, and gilding on the base and crown were all added later. Scholars have convincingly argued on the basis of style that this is a work by Mariano d'Agnolo Romanelli of the late fourteenth century. (The stylized, geometric forms and delicatedly curling hair are characteristic.) It is not clear, however, which saint is depicted. Both St. Fina (a local saint, around whose bed flowers miraculously grew) and St. Ursula have been suggested. This work is housed in the Museo Civico in San Gimignano. The Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.