André BEAUNEVEU - San Filippo (c. 1380-1385)

 

San Filippo

1380-1385 circa
Miniature on parchment (13x10 cm)
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris

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The figure of St. Philip is seated on the classical Gothic throne with a very high elaboration. Beauneveu paid enormous attention to the creation of the face and the folds of the saint's dress.

We can see how the throne gives the impression of receding towards the depth of the background; the effort is to get a more realistic perspective as possible, unfortunately the final result is quite rigid and it seems that the saint is floating on the throne.

This page comes from the psalter or Libro de Psmi created for the refined Duke Jean de Berry, known to all of us as the important collector of manuscripts including the famous Très Riches Huers du Duc de Berry, by the Limbourg brothers.

The Psalter was a small book, due to the fact that it had to be transported with great ease.

This page created by Neauneveu dates back to the time when these illustrations came back into fashion in the French Renaissance.

Comparing artists: Antonello da Messina, van Eyck, Fouquet, Limbourg