The frescoes of San Donato

History and Art of a Lucan sanctuary

Church of San Donato, external viewComune di Ripacandida

In Basilicata, in the village of Ripacandida in the province of Potenza, there is a small church dedicated to Saint Donato, bishop and martyr of Arezzo who lived in the 4th century.

Church of San Donato, second span by Various authorsComune di Ripacandida

Built probably in the 12th century, with a rectangular body with a single classroom with a high cruising roof and ending with a square choir, the church of San Donato was entrusted to a group of Benedictine monks who followed the Rule inaugurated in Montevergine (Avellino) from St. William from Vercelli.

Creation of birds and fish (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of Adam and EveComune di Ripacandida

The frescoes 

Performed in multiple tranches from the 1860s and until about 1530, the frescoes of the church of San Donato are currently held on the vaults of the three spans and on their respective walls. The vaults of the second and third spans are covered with Old Testament Stories, the Creation of the Earth, the Animals and Adam and Eve...

Creation of the Earth (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of Adam and EveComune di Ripacandida

God the Father with a compass traces the Earth

Creation of animals (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of Adam and EveComune di Ripacandida

God seated inside an almond of light supported by two angels creates animals

Frescoes with Old Testament stories (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of Adam and EveComune di Ripacandida

Frescoes with Old Testament stories

God's spirit hovers over the waters (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of Adam and EveComune di Ripacandida

God's spirit hovers over the waters

Ark construction (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of the PatriarchsComune di Ripacandida

…to the stories of the Patriarchs with Noah

the universal Flood (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of the PatriarchsComune di Ripacandida

the universal Flood

Thanksgiving sacrifice of Noah and his sons (1470-1485) by Master of the Stories of Adam and EveComune di Ripacandida

Thanksgiving sacrifice of Noah and his sons

Nativity of Jesus (1498-1520) by Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

while, from the entrance, the Stories of the Childhood of Jesus

Massacre of the innocents (1498-1520) by Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

Massacre of the innocents

Church of San Donato, first span, Allegory of Justice (1498-1520) by Collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

the four Cardinals (Justice, Prudence, Temperance and Fortress)

Allegory of Prudence (1498-1520) by Collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

Prudence

Allegory of Temperance (1498-1520) by Collaboratore del Maestro delle storie dell'infanzia di GesùComune di Ripacandida

Temperance

Allegory of the Fortress (1498-1520) by collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

Fortress

The Sibyl (1498-1520) by Collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

and as many Sibille

The Sibyl (1498-1520) by Collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

The sibyl wears a long red dress and with his left hand holds a phylactery with an inscription

The Sibyl (1498-1520) by collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

The Sibyl, dressed in green, holds a phylactery with the motto: In niferno no abet rede (n) cio

Resurrection of Christ (1530-1532) by Master of the stories of the Passion of JesusComune di Ripacandida

the counter-face, finally, is completed with some Stories of the Passion of Christ, very fragmentary

Saint Stephen (1460-1470) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

On the pillars, however, are frescoed several saints, mostly olosomi among which are recognized Saint Stephen

Sant'Onofrio (1460-1470) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

St. Onofrio

Saint Paul the hermit (1460-1470) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

St. Paul Hermit

Saint Lawrence; San Rocco (1460-1470) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

and St. Lorenzo

the hell (1498-1520) by Collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

On the walls of the first span, according to a purely medieval practice, tending to develop a veiled appeal to the emotionality of the faithful, are placed the Novissimi, (Hell)

Heaven (1498-1520) by Collaborator of the Master of Jesus' childhood storiesComune di Ripacandida

And Paradise, with one of the first and early representations of the Purgatory in southern Italy

Scenes from the life of Saint Anthony the Abbot (Tebaidi) (1470-1485) by collaborator of the Master of the stories of the PatriarchsComune di Ripacandida

To enrich the pictorial landscape already varied, are added: an interesting sainthood consisting mostly of Franciscan saints, distributed on the sides of the pillars that mark the classroom; Hermit scenes with saints Antonio Abbot and Paul hermit (better known by the term Tebaidi) on the left wall of the second span and a very mutilated hagiographic cycle of the life of St. James on the right wall of the third span

The handing over of the Rule by St. Francis (1460-1470) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

These frescoes were wanted by Ser Francis by Ripacandida, notary and chancellor at the court of John II Caracciolo, Duke of Melfi, in whose fiefdom Ripacandida fell, retracted in the Delivery of the Rule by St. Francis, unfortunately today very mutilated

High altar (1718) by Marmoraro napoletanoComune di Ripacandida

In 1732 the main altar dedicated to Sain Julia and the access arch to the presbytery area were placed

San Bernardino da Siena (1732) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

was placed and the access arch to the presbytery area was placed.

Santa Chiara (1732) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

Santa Chiara

St. Rose (1732) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

St. Rose - The saint is represented half-length, above some clouds

San Giacomo della Marca (1732) by Unknown authorComune di Ripacandida

San Giacomo della Marca - The saint stands out against a shell and holds a chalice

Credits: Story

Credit: Ruggiero Doronzo

Credits: All media
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