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Workshop of Nicolás Francés, 'The Mass of Saint Gregory', mid-15th century

About the work

Overview

Pope Gregory I (or St Gregory the Great) kneels before an altar and stares intently at the figure of the resurrected Christ emerging from a tomb. The scene commemorates a miracle that is meant to have taken place in the sixth century, during a mass celebrated by Gregory in the Church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Rome. When, at the moment of consecration, one of the celebrants doubted the transformation of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood (known as transubstantiation), Christ appeared on the altar as the Man of Sorrows, surrounded by the Instruments of the Passion.

The association of this panel with the workshop of Nicolás Francés is based on its similarity to a painting of the same subject in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The small format of both works and this painting’s integral frame suggest they were intended for private devotion.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Mass of Saint Gregory
Artist
Workshop of Nicolás Francés
Artist dates
died 1468
Date made
mid-15th century
Medium and support
Oil on panel, gold ground, with an integral frame
Dimensions
31.1 × 20.9 cm
Acquisition credit
On loan from a private collection
Inventory number
L1286
Location
Not on display
Image copyright
On loan from a private collection, © Private Collection 2015
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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