Such peasant scenes as this were much in demand during the XVth century. A piece very similar both in general spirit and in detailed drawing and facial types is in the Musée des Arts Decoratifs. In this two lords are watching a large group of woodcutters.
Formerly in the De Zolte Collection.
Lent by Duveen Brothers.
The piece is an excellent illustration of the clarity of French design. Each figure stands out almost entirely detached against the background. Yet, nevertheless, the naturalness of the grouping is not sacrificed. The piece conveys extraordinarily the impression of a real scene, a common daily occurrence among people that we might reasonably expect to know, at which we are allowed to be present in spite of the intervening four hundred years.
Some of the tricks of drawing and the types portrayed are so very similar to those in some of the stained-glass windows of St. Etienne du Mont and of St. Germain-l'Auxerrois the cartoons must be by members of the same school, one of the groups of l'Ile de France, and may quite possibly be by the same man.
14-16 FLANDERS, FIRST QUARTER XVI CENTURY
Wool and Silk.
No. 14:
H. 11 ft. 6 in.
W. 14 ft. 2 in.
No. 15:
H. 10 ft. 9 in.
W. 7 ft. 3½ in.
No. 16:
H. 11 ft.
W. 10 ft. 5 in.
THREE PIECES FROM A SERIES ILLUSTRATING THE CREED: This series of scenes illustrating the Creed begins (No. 14) with the Creation of the World. The designer, evidently with some allegorical poem in mind, includes in the scene Sapientia, Potencia, and Benignitas, depicted, in characteristic medieval form, as three richly dressed women. In the center scene these three offer the world to God. On the right, Gubernacio, Redempcio, and Caritas stand under the throne of the Trinity.
In the second piece (No. 15) the series continues with the Life of Christ, beginning with the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Adoration of the Kings.
Reverting to the older tradition of the XIVth century that had been almost displaced during the XVth century, all the events of Christ's public life are omitted, and the third piece (No. 16) depicts the scenes of the Passion, including the popular interpolation of Christ's farewell to his Mother, with the Apostles in the background, the Resurrection, and finally Christ taking his place at the right hand of God while the angels sing hosannas.
Below, throughout the series, is the set of the Apostles facing Prophets, symbolic of the parallelism of the Old and New Testaments, each with a scroll bearing his speech in the conventional responses depicted in so many works of art of the period. So Peter (No. 14), says, "I believe in God the Father Omnipotent," and Jeremiah, who faces him, replies, "You invoke the Father who made the earth and builded the heavens." Next (No. 15) comes Andrew, who originally faced David, a figure now missing. The next pair, John and Daniel, is also missing. There follow (No. 16) Thomas, who originally faced Hosea, and John the Lesser, who is opposite Amos. Above, on either side of the Nativity (No. 15), is introduced another pair, John the Greater and Isaiah.