Saint Homobonus Triptych
fabric and acrylic on canvas
24" x 36"
back
fabric and acrylic on canvas
24" x 36"
back
Saint Homobonus (Italian: Sant'Omobono, German: Sankt Gutmann) is the patron saint of
business people, tailors, shoemakers, and clothworkers, as well as of Cremona, Italy. His feast
day is celebrated on November 13. He was a merchant from Cremona, northern Italy. Born
Omobono Tucenghi, he was a married layman who believed that God had allowed him to work in
order that he would be able to support people living in a state of poverty. His name is derived from
the Latin homo bonus ("good man").
Homobonus was able to pursue this calling in life easily as a result of the inheritance he received
from his father, a prosperous tailor and merchant. He practiced his business at Cremona with
scrupulous honesty. He also donated a large proportion of his profits to the relief of the poor.
Homobonus was a frequent church attendee that would partake in the Eucharist every day. While
attending mass, prostrated in the form of a cross, on November 13, 1197, Homobonus died.
Fourteen months later Homobonus was canonized by Pope Innocent III. In the bull of
Homobonus's canonization Pope Innocent III called him "father of the poor", "consoler of the
afflicted", "assiduous in constant prayer", "man of peace and peacemaker", "a man good in name
and deed", "this saint, is still like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in our time."
business people, tailors, shoemakers, and clothworkers, as well as of Cremona, Italy. His feast
day is celebrated on November 13. He was a merchant from Cremona, northern Italy. Born
Omobono Tucenghi, he was a married layman who believed that God had allowed him to work in
order that he would be able to support people living in a state of poverty. His name is derived from
the Latin homo bonus ("good man").
Homobonus was able to pursue this calling in life easily as a result of the inheritance he received
from his father, a prosperous tailor and merchant. He practiced his business at Cremona with
scrupulous honesty. He also donated a large proportion of his profits to the relief of the poor.
Homobonus was a frequent church attendee that would partake in the Eucharist every day. While
attending mass, prostrated in the form of a cross, on November 13, 1197, Homobonus died.
Fourteen months later Homobonus was canonized by Pope Innocent III. In the bull of
Homobonus's canonization Pope Innocent III called him "father of the poor", "consoler of the
afflicted", "assiduous in constant prayer", "man of peace and peacemaker", "a man good in name
and deed", "this saint, is still like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in our time."
All images © Ron Orpitelli 2019
This image of the Patron Saint of Cloth Workers is an exploration of the use of modern printed quilting fabrics
to mimic stained glass. The triptych format was inspired by the remarkable Egyptian-themed stained glass
windows designed by Henry Holiday (1839-1927) for the Lillian Massey Building at the University of Toronto.
My favorite element, the angel, is adapted from an image in a window at Christ Church Cathedral at Oxford
while the bee and dragonflies are taken directly from a rather riotous insect-laden fabric print.
to mimic stained glass. The triptych format was inspired by the remarkable Egyptian-themed stained glass
windows designed by Henry Holiday (1839-1927) for the Lillian Massey Building at the University of Toronto.
My favorite element, the angel, is adapted from an image in a window at Christ Church Cathedral at Oxford
while the bee and dragonflies are taken directly from a rather riotous insect-laden fabric print.