Vision of Saint Clara

Benozzo Gozzoli

Summary

A reproduction produced by the Vasari Society of a drawing by Benozzo Gozzoli. The drawing shows a woman sitting up in bed looking up at a crowd of angels in the top right of the composition. The action in the room is framed by the edges of a wall as if we are seeing the scene from another room. The headboard of the bed is towards the left and the woman in the bed is facing towards the right. She has a halo around her head. Six other figures are standing around the bed, and the figure standing in the centre of the composition is looking up towards the angels as well, while scratching his head with his right arm. There are curtains pulled back around the bed. Text from the accompanying booklet produced by the Vasari Society: "No. 4 BENOZZO GOZZOLI (b. 1420; d. after 1497) THE VISION OF A SAINT (ST. CLARA?) British Museum, 1885.5.9.38. (From the Richardson, jun., and John Thane Collections.) Pen and bistre. 18 x 15.1 cm. (7 1/8 x 6 in.) On a bed raised upon a daïs the youthful saint raises herself and lifts her left hand in salutation of the Virgin, who appears to her in a vision surrounded with angels. At either side of her bed-head stands a nun in adoration; another woman with her back to us stands in front gazing up at the vision; towards the right, near the foot, stands a mixed group of four, including an old and a young man. This is to all appearance the death scene of the same saint whose admission to the order is illustrated in No. 3 [1932.71.3], and might pass for St. Clara but for her appearance of extreme youth. ... S. C."