When the Renaissance created modern world in painting, in the town of Militello in Val di Catania, on Iblei Mounts, a fierce and vain nobility lost all his fortune with wars and monuments. At the same time arrived a masterpiece called “San Piesto e storie”.This opera was found in 1926 by Professor Maganuco from the University of Catania, in a small Renaissance church dedicated to the Virgin (Madonna della Stella).
It was a “retablo”, a particular kind of polypthyc, with the figure of the saint on the centre, and on the sides eight representations of important moment of his life.
In the central panel the Saint sits in the glory of the tribune in a frontal position. All around the Saint we can feel an aura of dignity and royal presence: the blessing gesture, the sweet look, the rich embroidery of the dress and of the rug, and finally the two angels between him.
In facing of the Saint, as a witness of so great glory, a Dominican Monk in prayer and meditation.
Maybe he is the same monk of the Beato Angelico's painting. Maybe he will be the inquisitor for the Spanish crown. Maybe he is here for declare the vision of the mysteries according to Dominican religion, the ascetic rules of the order.
There is no nature or even history, because the Rule puts the Monk in direct comunication with the Holy faith truth. Therefore, the faith is a process, or a way of the intellect, the hightest" (according to Carlo Giulio Argan).
And so, if we understimate the rule of Nature and history in the divine perfection, they are still present in the action of God on the heart.
In the eight panels, the rules of perspective mathematically builds space. the theater of the saint’s deeds is represent as measurable reality.