Italian, Orvieto - Ceiling, about 1500

Italian, Orvieto

Ceiling, about 1500

Painted wood, 890 x 587 cm (350 3/8 x 231 1/8 in.)

Commentary

In 1897, Isabella Stewart Gardner purchased the ceiling of a building in the city of Orvieto, Italy. Little is known about its history. Probably painted in the early 1500s, the coffers - recessed compartments between the beams - depict mythological, biblical, allegorical, and moralizing scenes. The ceiling's large size, many coats of arms, and elaborate decoration suggest that it originally came from the palace of a noble family or a guild meeting hall.