Four Prophets of the Old Testament: Jonah, Jeremiah, Zachariah, and Elijah

Cola dell'Amatrice, artist

1489–1559

Four Prophets of the Old Testament: Jonah, Jeremiah, Zachariah, and Elijah, circa 1516

Where object was made: Italy

Material/technique: oil; panel

Dimensions:
Canvas/Support (Height x Width x Depth): 108.6 x 60.8 cm
Canvas/Support (Height x Width x Depth): 42 13/16 x 24 in

Credit line: Gift of Swannie Smith Zink

Accession number: 1960.0065

Not on display

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Label texts

When it was made, this painting accompanied eight other panels that formed a polyptych (multi-panel) altar in the church of San Salvatore located in east-central Italy. The central altar panel portrayed the Assumption of the Virgin-the moment when Mary is believed to have risen to heaven. This scene was flanked by two panels depicting saints. At the top of the altar were three panels in which Jesus was surrounded by the twelve male prophets and six female prophets or Sibyls. This panel was originally located in the upper left corner of the polyptych.
The name of each prophet is inscribed next to the corresponding figure. The characters portrayed are further identified by symbols associated with Biblical stories. For example, Jonah rests one foot on the great fish that swallowed him and miraculously spewed him out unscathed three days later. Old and bearded Jeremiah appears pensive with his books and scrolls. Zachariah holds a scroll representing his eight mystical visions. The fourth saint is Elijah, who is dressed in a tunic and leans on the fiery wheel of the chariot said to have carried him into heaven.

Exhibition Label:
"Forms of Thought," Mar-2014, Kris Ercums
When it was made, this painting accompanied eight other panels that formed a polyptych (multi-panel) altar in the church of San Salvatore located in east-central Italy. The central altar panel portrayed the Assumption of the Virgin-the moment when Mary is believed to have risen to heaven. This scene was flanked by two panels depicting saints. At the top of the altar were three panels in which Jesus was surrounded by the twelve male prophets and six female prophets or Sibyls. This panel was originally located in the upper left corner of the polyptych.
The name of each prophet is inscribed next to the corresponding figure. The characters portrayed are further identified by symbols associated with Biblical stories. For example, Jonah rests one foot on the great fish that swallowed him and miraculously spewed him out unscathed three days later. Old and bearded Jeremiah appears pensive with his books and scrolls. Zachariah holds a scroll representing his eight mystical visions. The fourth saint is Elijah, who is dressed in a tunic and leans on the fiery wheel of the chariot said to have carried him into heaven.

Label 2009:
Archive Label 2003:
This work has been identified as one of eight panels of a polyptych in the church of San Salvatore in Aso near Force. The central panel depicts the Assumption of the Virgin; it was flanked by two panels depicting saints. Above these were three panels of Christ surrounded by twelve prophets and two paintings of the six Sybils. The Spencer’s panel would have been in the upper left corner of the polyptych.

Each prophet in this work, his name inscribed near him, is further identified by a symbolic object with which he is tradionally associated in the Bible. Jonah rests one foot on the great fish that swallowed him and miraculously disgorged him unscathed three days later. Jeremiah, old and bearded, appears deep in thought, accompanied by his familiar attributes, the book and the scroll. Zachariah holds a scroll, which most probably represents his eight mystical visions. Elijah, wearing a tunic, leans on the wheel of the fiery chariot that carried him into Heaven.