The Donor Necklace

Detail from Saint Catherine of Bologna with Three Donors
by the Master of the Baroncelli Portraits around 1470-1480. Held by the Courtald Gallery, London, UK.

Detail from The Courtald Institute of Art's website, here.

Detail from Courtald Institute of the necklaces worn together. Click the thumbnail to get a closer look.

This is a once-difficult-to-find portrait I first saw reproduced by the gracious Jacqueline Herald in her book, Dress in Renaissance Italy 1400-1500 and now available through the miracle of the internet. According to historian Margaret Koster, this might be the earliest painting known of Saint Catherine of Bologna before her canonization in 1712--she died in 1463 not long before this portrait was made. The donor is thought to be kneeling with both his dead first wife and his living second wife. Catherine herself became a patron of both the city of Bologna and of painters/painting in general, so that might explain how her very Italian donors ended up in a Flemish painting (Source: Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art, vol 26 1998).

The pearl-ish necklace below the choker is standard issue fashion, but the one above it, the dark beaded necklace, is more difficult to ascertain. As best I can see, it is a choker whose clasp might just be that clasped-hand finding in the center front. It also might close in the back. It is made of small, dark beads, probably of glass but possibly of semiprecious gems like garnets.

The clasped-hand front finding proved impossible to find. Though very similar to the "claddagh" style Irish hands, the closest I could get was a general spacer. I've made inquiries to some metal casters to ask about getting the spacer made. Till then I have to just get close.

The second necklace could be pearls, but they match the golden clasp. They might be gold or gemstone beads.

The girl herself in the portrait is quite the maverick for fashion, then, but that might be expected given that the painter was Flemish. Art historians have no idea who this painter is, just that he's Flemish and specializes in three-quarters-turned postures like our unknown kneeling girl here. (Source: New York Times, December 11, 2010 "Vanishing Masters Save Another Day".)

Materials used:
small rocaille beads, copper-colored
#1 size black beading string
1 gold 3-string spacer for the front
1 gold 3-string tab-style closure

Click here for more information about Renaissance jewelry.

Updated: January 23, 2011.
All text copyright Vangelista di Antonio Dellaluna, except where otherwise noted. You may use anything you find here for any nonprofit purpose, but please give credit where credit is due.