Detail of Virgin and Child with Saints Dominicus and Thomas Aquinas by Fra Angelico (1387-1455)
Fra Angelico a Dominican friar, painted this fresco in the friary of San Domenico located midway on the road between Florence and Fiesole. The work celebrates the two principle saints of the Dominican order, its founder St Dominicus and its towering teacher St Thomas of Aquinas. Because the Dominicans emphasised preaching and teaching above all else, the artist draws attention to the order’s charism through the open book which each saint holds. Remarkably the text of Ps 104: 13 held by St Dominicus is legible but that held by St Thomas is not. As the friars walked past this fresco, did they glance at the text and ponder how the psalm’s words “the heavens declare the glory of God” might function in their preaching? Surely the friars would have noticed that both saints and the Virgin all draw our attention not to the texts but to the living word, the Christ child. Fra Angelico wants to suggest that the word made flesh is the source of all teaching.
Art Guide Resource
The 2014 Art Guide has been compiled by Claire Renkin, well-known art historian and lecturer at Yarra Theological Union and has been recorded by Dr. Rachael Kohn, author and public speaker, most well known for her ABC Radio National program, 'The Spirit of Things'. Music by Chris Zabriskie (chriszabriskie.com). Artworks © Bridgeman Images.
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