Description
In this richly illuminated scene, a choir of Benedictine monks is depicted in full-length profile, static yet expressive, as they chant a Kyrie eleison. The scene, probably from a Kyriale, unfolds within a religious building, characterized by ribbed vaults, vividly colored columns, and decorated capitals. The inspired gazes of the monks are directed at an open manuscript displaying the notation for the Kyrie. The Choir Book rests on a badalone, a lectern with a wide, profusely decorated base that dominates the composition. The detailed composition stands out for its vivid and vibrant color palette, leveraging contrasts of green, pink, and blue. Equally exuberant is the initial, set against a gold background, integrating the architectural elements of the main scene and branching into intricate and colorful vegetation.
Most works attributed to Gossi da Gallarate (Lacaze 1994; Gnaccolini 2004) are characterized by outdoor settings, with recognizable treatments of landscapes. These elements are absent in this scene; however, specific stylistic features, such as the use of profiles, sharp contour definitions, and the rendering of marble, along with the striking use of color and figure expressiveness, allow us to attribute this miniature if not to Gossi himself, to his circle. This work is particularly distinguished by its rare inclusion of a date, elegantly inscribed on the ceiling arch at the upper center: 1476. Additionally, the motif of a two-handled vase containing a triple-stemmed lily, painted on the architectural framework above the date, connects this cutting to a group of Graduals and Antiphonaries that formed the original liturgical collection of the Cathedral of Sant’Evasio in Casale Monferrato. Among these, the Antiphonal XI contains the famous portrait of the patron, William VIII Palaiologos (1420–1483), and is signed by Gossi (f. 3r). Meanwhile, folio 3v of the Antiphonary of the Common of Saints (also from the Episcopal Archives, Casale Monferrato) features an initial ‘E’ with Saints Peter and Paul, likely executed by an artist from Gossi’s circle (Rampi 2000). On the same folio, various heraldic shields—linked to the Paleologi family—are depicted. The two-handled vase motif with triple lilies reappears at both the upper and lower central borders, matching the design above the date in our miniature. This emblem has not been definitively identified, but Elena Rampi (2000) emphasizes its historical significance for the Cathedral of Casale; in 1615, it was visible on the building’s main door during a pastoral visit.
Thus, this cutting can likely be traced to one of the manuscripts (perhaps a Kyriale?) from the liturgical collection of the Cathedral of Sant’Evasio, donated by William VIII Palaiologos shortly after Casale Monferrato was elevated to an episcopal seat. This work reflects the wealth and artistic patronage of this influential figure. While specific verifications have not yet been possible, we hope that future research will shed light on this fascinating commission.
Gaia Grizzi
provenance
literature
Unpublished;
Related Literature:
D’Ancona, Paolo. “Due preziosi cimeli miniati nel Duomo di Casale Monferrato.” In L’ Arte 19 (1919), 85–87;
Levi D’Ancona, Mirella. The Wildestein Collection of Illuminations. The Lombard School. Florence, 1970, 77–90;
Lacaze, Charlotte. “The Case of Bartolomeo de’ Rigossi da Gallarate, A Preliminary Investigation.” In Wiener Jahrbuch für Kunstgeschichte, 46–47 (1993/19994): 331–342.
Rampi, Elena. Il Duomo di Casale Monferrato Storia, arte e vita liturgica. Novara, 2000, 167–74;
Gnaccolini in Bollati, Milvia, ed. Dizionario biografico dei miniatori italiani: Secoli IX–XVI. Milan, 2004, 908–10;
Overty, Joanne Filippone. “Reconstructing the Monastic Choir Books of San Sisto in Piacenza.” In Rivista di Storia della Miniatura 14 (2010), 151–62;
Bollati, Milvia, ed. I corali benedettini di San Sisto a Piacenza, Bologna, 2011, 45–53
learn
Bartolomeo Gossi da Gallarate, Italy, Lombardy, active 1460–1480s
Bartolomeo Gossi da Gallarate was active in Lombardy, and especially in Milan, during the latter half of the fifteenth century. Despite his significant contributions to manuscript illumination, his biography remains relatively unknown. His identity began to emerge in 1916 when Paolo D’Ancona identified his signature, “Bartolomeus Rigossi,” on f. 3r of Choir Book XI from the Chapter Archives of the Cathedral of Sant’Evasio in Casale Monferrato (Piedmont). In 1970, Mirella Levi D’Ancona made an important step in reconstructing Gossi’s oeuvre by linking the Casale manuscript to an illuminated initial ‘C’ signed “BARTOLOMEUS OPUS DE GALARATE” (London, Victoria and Albert Museum, Acc. No. 799-1894) and to other similar cuttings. Further advancements were made in 2003 and 2006 by Mario Marubbi, who unearthed two archival documents from the State Archives of Milan bearing Gossi’s name. These discoveries highlight Gossi’s pivotal role in the artistic landscape of late fifteenth-century Milan. He headed a flourishing workshop, active between 1473 and 1476, which trained notable artists such as Francesco da Castello, who later worked at the Hungarian court of King Matthias Corvinus. Stylistically, Gossi’s early works adhered to the late-Gothic Milanese tradition, influenced by Belbello da Pavia and the Master of the Vitae Imperatorum (Gnaccolini 2004). Over time, his style evolved, embracing Ferrarese models such as those by the Second Master of the Antiphonary M from San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. Gossi and his workshop were entrusted with numerous prestigious commissions, including the decoration of nine out of fourteen Choir Books ordered by the Benedictine monks of San Sisto in Piacenza (Mulas 2011). His influence extended beyond Lombardy, particularly to Piedmont, cementing his reputation as one of the foremost artists of what has been defined as the “golden age of liturgical manuscript production in Italy” (Overty 2010).