Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio “Saint Zenobus resurrects a young man” and “Translation of the Body of Saint Zenobus” at Accademia Gallery of Florence

Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, Saint Zenobus resurrects a young man, at Accademia Gallery in Florence Italy

St Zenobus raise a boy Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio (4 February 1483 - 6 June 1561) was the son of the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. Succeeding such a talented father was probably not easy for him.

Although his works could not be compared to the masterpieces left by his father, Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio possessed a particular talent.

He excelled in group representations, particularly in the two paintings exhibited at the Accademia Gallery. Raphael noticed a talent during his Florentine stay in 1508, where he had befriended Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio.

Ridolfo was only 25 years old when Raphael offered to accompany him to Rome to help him make the paintings and frescoes that the Vatican had commissioned him.

Born in Florence and Florentine in his soul, he could not resign himself to leaving his city and declined Raphael's generous offer.

St Zenobus raise a boy This recognition of the talent of Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio on the part of Raphael shows that this great genius of Italian painting considered him capable of understanding and sharing his pictorial approach to the realization of his masterpieces in the Vatican.

Ridolfo del Guirlandaio's paintings exhibited at the Accademia were painted when he received important orders for the Chapel of Priors at Palazzo Vecchio and for Pope Chapel at the Convent of Santa Maria Novella.

These paintings, made in 1516, are considered his two masterpieces.

These are “Saint Zenobus Resurrects a Young Man” and the “Translation of the Body of Saint Zenobus” ordered and paid for 60 guilders by the Brotherhood of Saint Zenobus neighbouring the Duomo.

Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio “Saint Zenobus resurrects a young man” at Accademia Gallery

Painting - Oil on Wood (202 cm x 174 cm) 1516

According to legend, the Bishop of Florence Saint Zenobe (or Zenobia) had raised a child crushed by a cart. Zenobus died in 424; his relics were found in the 14th century during the construction work of the Duomo of Florence on the site of the former cathedral.

For the translation of the relics of Saint Zenobus into the new Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the famous sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti was commissioned to create a unique bronze sarcophagus representing his miracles.

St Zenobus raise a boy

Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio “Translation of the Body of Saint Zenobus” at Accademia Gallery

Painting - Oil on Wood (203 cm x 175 cm) 1516

Translation of St Zenobus Bishops carry on their shoulders the sarcophagus containing the remains of Saint Zenobia through San Giovanni Square, near the Baptistery that can be seen on the right.

One of them looks at the dry tree coming back to life, but this new miracle of Zenobia does not seem to surprise the funeral procession that quietly continues its march.

The colours of the clothes lack brilliance, but the faces of the crowd form a beautiful ensemble while being highly personalized.

Rodolfo Ghirlandaio had the art of collective portrait. He knew how to represent the variety and particularity of the physiognomies of a group.

Later a column was erected in the square to commemorate the miracle of the spontaneous foliage of a dry elm during the translation of the relics of Saint Zenobius.

Translation of St Zenobus