Blessed Osanna's gifts

Down here the face of the Blessed seems to be inviting us to enter the most intimate place of the House. In the meanwhile, the light coming from the nearby Via Frattini enters the rooms, illuminating the elegant furniture and the numerous objects that narrate centuries of sacred history.

This is the reliquary next to its case, on which it is possible to read some handwritten lines regarding transfers of property.  

This rather large comb, about 10cm long and 13cm wide, is made of ivory and certainly dates to the years in which our Blessed lived. As you can see, the comb has teeth on both sides, smaller on the left and larger on the right. The elegant edges and the central decoration, which is almost identical on both sides, make this everyday object vary graceful.  

It is commonly believed that this wooden Cross, carved in poplar, belonged to the Blessed. It is an oral tradition related also by the donor, the count Alessandro Magnaguti, who stresses the connection between Osanna and the finely hewn object. We can admire the slender figure of Christ on the cross, his delicate features, his hair and beard made precious with a golden colouring. His limbs are slender, his waist is small, and he is covered by a square loincloth. Even though the author of this work is probably an artist from the Padana area, some dramatic aspects indicate the influence of the North.   

This garment, that the tradition associates to the person of the Blessed Osanna, was a long dress, tight in the upper part and wide at the bottom. It is a white dress made of wool, in part lined with linen, with a tight bust and a high waist, while the bottom part is long and wide; the sleeves are sewn to the rest. It is not necessary to specify the sartorial details, it will be enough to say that the technique used allowed it to be close-fitting. The neckline is oval, quite accentuated, and it is deeper on the back. In fact, in the 15th century, when the dress was made, the back neckline was deeper than the front one. The garment could be defined as a gamurra, a dress made of woollen cloth worn by women in the coldest season. It was a dress generally used for work, so it lacks decorations. It is possible to see this type of dress in many paintings of the 15th century, such as the frescoes in Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara. The only unusual detail visible in this item is the colour white, indeed gamurre were generally made with dark cloth. The dress is quite complex and is finely cut. The workshop in which it was made was evidently skilled. On the whole the dress is sombre, as was the life of the Blessed Andreasi. A careful intervention has been carried out with the aim of preventing future deterioration.