Saint Clare
The Met
Artist: Lippo Memmi (Filippo di Memmo)(Italian, Sienese, active by 1317–died 1356)
Date: ca. 1330
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Tempera on wood, gold ground
Dimensions: Overall, with shaped top and engaged (modern) frame, 19 x 8 in. (48.3 x 20.3 cm); painted surface 15 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (39.4 x 19.1 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Irma N. Straus, 1964
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Woman in brown religious attire, holding a red book and golden chalice, in an ornate gold frame
Detailed Description
The image depicts a painting of a woman in religious attire, set within an elaborate gold frame. The frame is tall and narrow, featuring a pointed, gabled top adorned with intricate, leafy carvings. Two slender, pointed spires rise from the sides of the gable. The main body of the frame has twisted columns on either side, resting on a rectangular base. The gold surface of the frame shows visible cracks and some areas where the gold leaf appears worn. The painted figure, a woman with light skin, is shown from the waist up, facing slightly to the viewer's left with her head tilted down. She wears a dark brown habit with a black veil covering her head and shoulders, revealing only her face and hands. A white wimple frames her face. Her eyes are downcast, and her mouth is slightly parted. Behind her head is a circular, golden halo with a textured, radiating pattern. The background of the painting is a flat, textured gold, matching the frame. In her left hand, held at waist level, she clutches a small, rectangular red book with gold clasps and a gold design on its cover. The design appears to be a stylized crown or floral motif. Her right hand, positioned higher, holds a golden, chalice-like object with a wide, fluted rim and a narrow base. The object is held upright.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
