Saint Clare is depicted here in the veil and heavy robe that are the habit of her religious order. She is shown standing against a gold background, her right hand extended in a gesture of blessing toward the earthenware jug at her feet. Saint Clare was born into a noble family in Assisi. As a young woman, she heard the preaching of Saint Francis and chose to follow him, renouncing her life of privilege. She founded the Order of Poor Clares and lived a life of poverty, focusing her energies on service and personal contemplation.

The current date range (c. 1360-1400) is right for when Vanni was working in Sienna. This was definitely part of larger altarpiece. It was created for a church, not a private home. Given St. Clare's association with Franciscans, this work could have been done for a Franciscan church. St. Clare was a follower of St. Francis. I am sure this was made for a Franciscan order in Sienna. It could have been generally Franciscan, not necessarily somethings specific to St. Clare's life. There would have been other saints flanking each other in the full altarpiece.

Spina Collection, Rome. Samuel H. Kress Collection (K1007), 1939. National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. 1939-1961. Donated by the Kress Foundation to Pomona College in 1961.

Attributed to Andrea Vanni by Longhi, ...ins, A. Venturi, Suida, Fiocco, van Marle and Berenson.
Dated c. 1360-70 by Longhi.
c. 1380-90 in Preliminary Catalogue, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., 1941.

A box of Xrays of the Kress Collection is on Shelf G in the Vault (6/5/2018).

Sarah Allen and Julia Patzelt, Beyond Appearance: Constructing Likeness (Claremont: Pomona College Museum of Art, 2003), 17 and 19 (illustrated/ color).
Cicerone, June 1922, Heft II.

This object has the following keywords:

• Kress
• Religious Officials
• Saint Clare

• Sight Dimensions: 55 1/4 x 18 9/16 in. (140.34 x 47.15 cm) Measured by Hudson, Karen
• Frame Dimensions: 63 13/16 x 26 in. (162.08 x 66.04 cm) Measured by Hudson, Karen

This object has the following bibliographic references:

• Beyond Appearance: Constructing Likeness. Beyond Appearance: Constructing Likeness Pomona College Museum of Art. Claremont, CA, 2003
  Page Number: 17 and 19

This object is a member of the following portfolios: