DOI Heft:
Nr. 3
DOI Artikel:Skubiszewska, Maria: Franciabigio's two tondi with Annunciation
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18860#0110
The smaller side niches are filled with paintings which represent two angels joining their hands
in adoration and turning to the centre of the altarpiece. Two tondi over these arcades show
the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin. Mary, the latter "rather poorly visible",31 both forming
the Annunciation scene. A. Parronchi credited Franciabigio with these four side panels and
recognized in this retable the very altarpiece commisioned for the chapel of Saint Nicholas and
described by Vasari.
It must be observed, however, that both the original statue of the pation saint and the accom-
panying panels with the angels are still preserved in the chapel. As A. Parronchi admits,
this figure is bigger than the central arcade of the discovered altarpiece32. The panels with the
angels in the chapel match the design of Sansovino and their attribution to Franciabigio cannot
be doubted.
A. Parronchi disregarded these difficulties. He simply questioned any link between the statue
of the saint or the pictures of the angels and the original altarpiece. He maintains that the
large dimensions of the angels speak against their provenance from the Saint Nicholas altarpiece.
According to Parronchi their proper arrangement within the architecture of the altarpiece
would require a base of considerable length, decidedly longer than the predella as it can be
reconstructed from the fragments now preserved (168,5 cm). Yet, it should be remarked that
the original length of the predella remains unknown. We know neither the number of its parts
nor the original distances between them.
31. Parronchi, op.cil., p. 26.
32. Parronchi does not give the dimensions of the arcade
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in adoration and turning to the centre of the altarpiece. Two tondi over these arcades show
the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin. Mary, the latter "rather poorly visible",31 both forming
the Annunciation scene. A. Parronchi credited Franciabigio with these four side panels and
recognized in this retable the very altarpiece commisioned for the chapel of Saint Nicholas and
described by Vasari.
It must be observed, however, that both the original statue of the pation saint and the accom-
panying panels with the angels are still preserved in the chapel. As A. Parronchi admits,
this figure is bigger than the central arcade of the discovered altarpiece32. The panels with the
angels in the chapel match the design of Sansovino and their attribution to Franciabigio cannot
be doubted.
A. Parronchi disregarded these difficulties. He simply questioned any link between the statue
of the saint or the pictures of the angels and the original altarpiece. He maintains that the
large dimensions of the angels speak against their provenance from the Saint Nicholas altarpiece.
According to Parronchi their proper arrangement within the architecture of the altarpiece
would require a base of considerable length, decidedly longer than the predella as it can be
reconstructed from the fragments now preserved (168,5 cm). Yet, it should be remarked that
the original length of the predella remains unknown. We know neither the number of its parts
nor the original distances between them.
31. Parronchi, op.cil., p. 26.
32. Parronchi does not give the dimensions of the arcade
96