The vision of Saint Bernard

The Vision of Saint Bernard is a painting by Fra' Bartolomeo done in oil on wood around 1504-1507

There are several ancient documents that converge on the complete attribution of the work to Fra' Bartolomeo. Among these is a contract drawn up by the monk of the Florentine abbey, Don Sebastiano, dated November 18, 1504, which certifies that the panel was commissioned from the painter monk by Bernardo del Bianco for the decoration of the chapel held in patronage in the church. of the Badia in Florence. When the painting was completed, it was not immediately placed at the destination point, but a dispute regarding compensation was concluded.

The presence of the table on that specific altar, also decorated with friar's friars, is remembered by the manuscript "Anonimo Gaddiano" (also known as "Anonimo Magiabechiano"), by Vasari, by Borghini and by Bocchi.

In the first half of the 17th century, after a radical renovation of the church with the destruction of the chapel and the frescoes that crowned the altar, the "Vision of Saint Bernard" was transferred to the new sacristy. Later located at the funerary monument of Giannozzo Pandolfini (died 1525) to the right of the entrance, it remained, as a location point, unchanged, where he saw Richa in 1745.

From the Cambiagi guide (Gaetano Cambiagi, b. 1721 or 1725 - d. Florence 1795) of 1765 it is deduced that a little later the work was returned to the sacristy, from where it was stolen, in 1810 as war booty, by Las Napoleonic troops.

After very brief events, the panel was exhibited at the Academy, where it remained until 1945, the year in which it arrived at the Uffizi Gallery.