Orvieto Cathedral: Cappella del Corporale Frescoes (Orvieto, Italy) : Scene from the fresco cycle on the north wall, depicting the crucifixion of Christ

Creator:

Ugolino di Prete Ilario, ca. 1334-after 1378

Published/Created:

Orvieto, Umbria, Italy
1357-1364

Date Depicted:

10/15/1998
500 AD - 1499 AD

Materials:

fresco

Notes:

Two side chapels lie off the main crossing of the cathedral. The Cappella del Corporale, on the north side, was built between 1350 and 1356: it is two bays deep, with quadripartite vaults, decorated by Ugolino and his workshop, 1357-1364. The left wall depicts various miracles performed by communion wafers throughout the ages, and the right wall, the Miracle of Bolsena. In 1263, a young priest who doubted the miracle of transubstantiation -- the transformation of the communion wafer and wine into the actual body and blood of Christ -- was saying mass at Bolsena, on the shores of a lake a few dozen miles south of Orvieto. As he raised the Host toward the heavens, it began dripping blood onto the corporale (cloth covering the altar). The altar cloth instantly became a relic and was rushed to Pope Urban IV, who proclaimed the feast day of Corpus Christi. The relic resides in a huge gilded silver case designed in 1339 to mimic the cathedral facade and set with scenes of the Miracle of Bolsena and life of Christ in enameled panels inlaid with silver.

Variant Titles:

Duomo di Orvieto, Cappella del Corporale

Topics:

Architecture -- Italy -- 14th century -- (YVRC)

Period/Style:

Gothic (Medieval)

Culture:

Italian

Accession Number:

1A2-I-O-D-8-D4

Genre:

chapels (rooms or structures) (AAT)
churches: cathedrals (AAT)
paintings (AAT)

Format:

Image

Content Type:

Paintings & Drawings
Sculptures, Models, & Architecture

Rights:

Copyright Scott Gilchrist, Archivision, Inc
The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement.

Access Restrictions:

Yale Community Only

Digital:

cycles or series; New Testament; saints; Jesus Christ fresco painting (technique) visual works; paintings (visual works); frescoes (paintings)

Source Creator:

Gilchrist, Scott

Source Title:

Archivision Module Two

Source Created:

2878 Chamonix, Montreal QC
Archivision, Inc.
10/15/1998

Source Note:

Purchase, Visual Resources Collection, May, 2011; photographer Scott Gilchrist

Yale Collection:

Visual Resources Collection

Digital Collection:

Visual Resources Collection

Local Record Number:

4152

OID:

10168179

PID:

digcoll:1818349