Mass of St. Gregory; Virgin in the Sun

In the upper scene, Christ on the cross appears above the altar while St. Gregory (504-640?), one of the four Latin fathers of the Catholic Church, is saying mass. The miracle signifies the doctrine of transubstantiation (the real presence of Christ in the bread and wine of communion).

In the lower scene, angels crown Mary the Virgin of the Rosary.

from Smith College website

Biblical Scenes

Pinnacle: Virgin and child in centre, with four reliefs making up the Holy Kinship on the inside; upper bead opens into a triptych; corpus: Nativity, Moses and the Burning Bush, Gideon and the Fleece, Flowering of Aaron's Rod; left wing: Annunciation; right wing: Presentation in the Temple; lower bead: Adoration of the Magi; exterior: Tree of Jesse

The online catalogue raisonné and digital photography made possible through the generous support of Thomson Works of Art