Vincenzo Foppa of Brescia, founder of the Lombard school, his life ...

Chap. VIII. PROCESSIONAL BANNER, ORZINUOVI 217
January 10 to appoint four members of the Council as special overseers of
Public Health,' the resolution being prefaced with these words: "To the
praise of the Almighty, of the glorious Virgin, and of the Saints, Sebastian,
Roch, and Bernard[ino]";" and in the autumn of the same year, conditions
having gone from bad to worse, it was determined to "add vow to vow
in the hope that the land might be delivered from the scourge,"' and intercessions
were offered to St. Vincent, who from that time forward became the saint
more especially invoked against plague at Orzinuovi.* Foppa's picture must
certainly therefore have been produced before this devotion to St. Vincent had
taken hold of popular sentiment, as he is not one of the saints represented,
the chief place in the centre of the banner being still assigned to St. Sebastian.
It probably dates from the period when it was determined by the
authorities of Orzinuovi to offer special intercessions to SS. Roch, Bernardino,
Catherine, and George, all of whom we find represented on the canvas.'
It must have been produced either before the outbreak of the epidemic or
as a thank-offering after its cessation, for during the time when plague was
raging all intercourse with Brescia was cut off, and no Brescians or outsiders
were permitted to enter the gates of Orzinuovi.'
1 " Deputati ad sanitatem."
2 Prov., Vol. X, f. 518.
3 " Aggiungere voto a voto nella speranza che 11 Signore avrebbe soUevato 11 paese
da tand mail." See Provvisioni, October 28, 1513, Vol. X, f. 557, and Perini,
f. 115, 116.
*
At Brescia, St. Vincent was also revered at this date as the special protector against
plague. See Prov. di Brescia, March 14, 1514, f. 104.
* It may be added that Paglia mentions "two banners in oil by Foppa in the
Oratory of the Disciplina of SS. Faustino and Giovita at Brescia." In accordance with
our theory respecting Paglia's mention of Brescian painters (see p. 204, note 3), we
assume that he was here alluding to Paolo Caylina, and if these paintings were in point
of fact by him, it would afford a further proof that such works were often produced
in Foppa's bodega.
"
Reference is made to this regulation in the Provvisione of December, 151 ".
1 : . .
non permitteret aliquos Brixienses nee aliquos forenses venientes a Civitate predicta
ingredi in Contrata Urcei novarum " (Vol. X, f. 431).