(active c. 1100 in Rome)

The Miraculous Rescue of a Child c. 1100 Fresco with secco applications San Clemente, Rome

Apart from the evocations of early Christian models, on which almost all painting in the city of Rome was based, it was ultimately the local factor of antiquity that determined the character of Romanesque painting in Rome more strongly than anywhere else. The most significant examples of this style are the murals in the lower church of San Clemente, the church dedicated to the pope whose relics are stored there. The scene depicting the miraculous rescue of a child from the sea of Azof by St Clemens was painted by an artist whose style is marked by unusual contours, shining highlights, and especially decorative arrangements. From the depth where the pope's body had been submerged, the legend goes, a marble chapel had arisen. Once a year the masses of water receded, making the chapel accessible to pilgrims. One day a mother last her small child there, but found him again the next year, unhurt. Below this scene we see a medallion portrait of Clemens, flanked by donor figures.

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Author: ROMANESQUE PAINTER, Italian Title: The Miraculous Rescue of a Child Time-line: 1051-1100 School: Italian Form: painting