Desiderio da Settignano (workshop) - Prudence [15th cent.]

This relief is attributed to the workshop of Desiderio da Settignano (1430-1464).

Prudence - Desiderio da Settignano - London, V&A Museum, collection

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The relief depicts a three-faced image of the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence. Erwin Panofsky was the first to explain the significance of the figure, noting its relationship of the iconography of Titian's "Allegory of Prudence". Oddly however, in this rendering there seems no allusion to the virtue of Prudence relying on knowing the past, the present and the future.

The three faces seem to have similar features and there is no obvious difference in their ages. There is, however, something rather reminiscent of contemporary representations of Christ in the half-closed eyes and slightly forked beard of the central figure that could lead one to speculate on possible associations between the "trifrons" Prudence and the Christian concept of the tripartite Holy Trinity.

As there is no trace of such a connection in the sources or commentaries of the period, however, it seems that any interpretation based on this possible association would be ill-founded.

 

collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O154719/prudence-panel-desider...

 

Done