Saint Proculus on a Journey Stops a Doe in the Wilderness - Pacino di Bonaguida

A narrative panel by Pacino di Bonaguida depicting Saint Proculus, rendered in the early fourteenth-century Florentine style with gold leaf and tempera.

This panel, attributed to the Florentine painter Pacino di Bonaguida, depicts a narrative episode from the life of Saint Proculus. The work belongs to a larger series of panels that once formed a narrative cycle, likely intended for a church or private devotional setting. Pacino was a contemporary of Giotto, and his work reflects the transition from the rigid Byzantine style toward the more humanistic approach that defined the early Trecento in Florence.

The composition is organised with a clear division between the saint and his companions on the left and the miraculous encounter with the deer on the right. The saint, dressed in a simple habit, gestures toward the animal, which is captured in a moment of sudden stillness. The background consists of stylised, jagged rock formations and delicate trees set against a traditional gold leaf ground. This gold surface serves to flatten the space, directing the viewer's attention to the figures and their interaction rather than a realistic depiction of the wilderness.

Pacino employs a refined colour palette, using saturated reds and muted blues to distinguish the figures. The drapery of the robes is rendered with soft, flowing lines that suggest the weight and texture of the fabric. The deer, while stylised, shows an observation of animal form that was becoming more common in the period. The panel is framed by a decorative border, typical of the period's altarpiece construction. This work provides a window into the devotional practices of early fourteenth-century Italy, where narrative clarity and symbolic representation were combined to convey hagiographic accounts to a lay audience. The preservation of the gold leaf and the tempera pigments allows for a clear view of the artist's technique, which relies on precise brushwork and a balanced arrangement of forms within the frame.