Map of Italy and Dalmatia

Milan Brescia Bassano del Grappa Asolo Verona Padua Venice Mantua

Modena Ferrara Bologna

Forlì Cesena Pistoia Pescia Fiesole Rimini Fano Zadar Pisa LaVerna Urbino Sansepolcro Arezzo Ligurian Sea Colle di Val d’Elsa Città di Castello Siena Cortona Perugia Assisi Adriatic Sea Foligno Montefalco Orvieto Spoleto Ascoli Piceno Greccio L’Aquila Fonte Colombo Subiaco Rome Anagni

Tyrrhenian Sea Naples Salerno

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‚ƒ miles October 31, 2014–January 25, 2015 Beginning in the early thirteenth century, Italy was transformed by two and Franciscan saints whose miracles sanctified contemporary Italian life. innovative new religious orders known as the Dominicans, founded by Saint The two orders also favored tender and compassionate representations of Dominic of Caleruega (1170– the Virgin and Christ that appeal 1221; canonized 1234), and the to the viewer’s emotions. Franciscans, founded by Saint Sanctity Pictured is Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226; the first major exhibition canonized 1228). Whereas earli- anywhere to explore the signif- er religious orders, such as the icant contribution made by the Benedictines, had cloistered Dominicans and Franciscans to themselves in rural mon- the artistic revolution known as asteries and lived off income the Renaissance that occurred from their property, the in Italy during the years 1200 Dominicans and Franciscans to 1550. It brings together settled in Italy’s growing cities works of art made in Italian and lived as mendicants, or cities including Assisi, Bologna, beggars, who preached to laymen Florence, Naples, Siena, and and women. Venice now in the collections Both orders took a of twenty-eight American vow of poverty, but soon after museums and libraries, along the deaths of their founders with special loans from the they were building churches Vatican Library and Vatican that rivaled cathedrals in size Museums that have never and splendor throughout Italy. before been seen in the United With financial assistance from States. The exhibition, which is city governments, popes, and the being presented exclusively at laity, Dominican and Francis- the Frist Center for the Visual can churches were constructed Arts, is the first dedicated to and filled with altarpieces, crucifixes, cycles, illuminated manuscripts, art in Nashville since 1934. liturgical objects, and sculpted tombs. Art became integral to the missions of Trinita Kennedy, curator these orders. Many works are narrative scenes focusing on the Dominican Frist Center for the Visual Arts Glossary of terms feast day A holy day celebrated in com- mendicant A beggar. Members of men- tempera Paint using egg yolk as the frequently used in memoration of a sacred mystery or event dicant religious orders take a vow of binding agent for the pigments. the exhibition or a holy person, such as Christ, the Virgin, poverty, do not hold property, and beg for or a saint, often on the anniversary of his their food and shelter. tramezzo screen A screen commonly altarpiece A painting or sculpture or her death. found in Dominican and Franciscan churches standing behind an altar in a church. missal A book containing all the prayers in Renaissance Italy that separated the sacred fresco (Italian, “fresh”) A wall painting, and responses for the celebration of Mass. area of the choir and high altar from the antiphonary A book containing the usually executed using pigments applied to public area of the nave. sung parts of the Divine Office, usually fresh, wet plaster. panel painting A painting executed on in a large format so that several people a wood support. triptych A painting consisting of three may sing from it at once. friar A brother, or male member, of one parts. of the mendicant religious orders. parchment A writing surface made from Canonize, canonization The process treated skins of animals. polyptych An altarpiece consisting of by which a person is declared a saint, friary A community of friars, bound by several panels. worthy of veneration in all Catholic churches. vows to a religious life under a superior, or predella The long horizontal structure a building that houses them. supporting the main panels of an altarpiece vita panel A painting of a large Christ’s Passion The sufferings of commonly decorated with diminutive standing figure of Christ or asaint framed Christ between the night of the gold leaf Thin sheets of hammered gold. images of saints or with narratives of by scenes from his or her life (vita) and/or and his death. Scenes from the Passion are their lives. posthumous miracles. often the subject of painted cycles made gradual A liturgical book containing the part of the Mass sung by a choir. relic A venerated body part or object for the Franciscans in particular. associated with a saint. confraternity A lay organization of habit The distinctive clothing worn by a Christian piety and charity. religious order. religious order An organization of To learn more about the works of art persons living under the same religious rule. in this exhibition, see the catalogue convent A community of nuns, bound heretic A person who holds or advocates edited by Trinita Kennedy, Sanctity by vows to a religious life under a superior, controversial opinions, especially one who rule The code of discipline or body Pictured: The Art of the Dominican and or a building that houses them. publically opposes the officially accepted of regulations observed by a religious Franciscan Orders in Renaissance Italy, beliefs of the Catholic Church. order. which is available for purchase in the cutting Material cut from a manuscript, Frist Center Gift Shop. most often an illuminated initial. illumination The process of decorating a saint A deceased person officially rec- manuscript with bright colors, in particular ognized by the Catholic Church as being diptych A pair of painted panels of equal with gold and silver, which reflect light. worthy of public veneration and capable of size, usually hinged to open and close like interceding for people on earth. a book. The format was frequently used for martyr A person who chooses to suffer portable private devotional images. death rather than renounce his or her stigmata (Greek, “mark”) Christ’s five Cover: Italian, probably active in Bologna. Dominican and Franciscan Friars Singing at Lecterns, from the Abbey Bible (fol. religious beliefs. wounds from his : one in each 224r), ca. 1250-62. Tempera and gold leaf on parchment, leaf hand, one in each foot, and one in his 10 9/16 x 7 3/4 in. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Divine Office Daily cycle of devotions 2011.23.224; Interior: Antiphonarium Basilicae Sancti Petri (detail based on the Jewish practice of praying at side. A stigmatic is a person with the same of fol. 78r), ca. 1270. Parchment with ink, paint, and gold, 13 3/8 x 9 1/4 in. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS B. 87. © 2014 appointed hours. marks. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana This exhibition is organized by Trinita Kennedy, curator, Frist Center for the Visual Arts.

Supporting Sponsors: Lynn and Ken Melkus Hospitality Sponsor:

The exhibition is made possible in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, and the Robert Lehman Foundation, and support from the Friends of Italian Art. The exhibition catalogue is published with the assistance of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund.

Belmont University and Ocean Way Recording Studios donated recording time and professional expertise in the production of the audio tour. Schola Pacis—Nelson Berry, Riley Bryant, Gregg Colson, Rick Seay, Chris Simonsen, and Matt Smyth—and the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia contributed their time and talents to perform the musical selections for the audio tour. Audio engineer Chris Hinson donated his services to record the Dominican Sisters in the Chapel of St. Cecilia.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is supported in part by:

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