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.
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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.
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
Credit: Ruggiero Doronzo
