The Italian artist Fabrizio Diomedi is perhaps best known amongst our readership for his decorative work at the Benedictine Monastery of Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict, but of course he has pursued many other commissions as well. An aspect of his work that I personally appreciate is one that we feature from time to time here, the matter of sacred vestments in art. Within the tradition, the vestments in which churchmen and saints were frequently depicted were not merely plain textiles; rather,, many artists chose to use vestments that were made from period textiles. The most spectacular examples in this regard are those paintings which showcased renaissance vestments, which were comprised of beautiful silk and velvet textiles.
This is a particular tradition that Mr. Diomedi himself picks up on in his work painted commissions, and today we are pleased to present a few examples we selected from his social media. The first example, painted panel of San Vincenzo Maria Strambi, recently won first place in the Catholic Art Institute's 2024 Sacred Art Prize:
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| San Vincenzo Maria Strambi |
You can see here how the cope which the saint is wearing includes a beautiful decorative stencil made to approximate a silk brocade or damask, while the orphrey of the cope and mitre have been given not only detail but also texture.
This particular egg tempera panel sent me searching other examples, and here are just a few more examples. I think you will agree that these decorative details are not only noble and beautiful, they also help these works to stand out.
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| St. Augustine |
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| St. Patrick |
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| St. Charles Borromeo |
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| St. Charles Borromeo |
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