Is it a bird or is it a plane? No, it's the Blessed Agostino Novello performing his posthumous miracles in the Sienese painter, Simone Martini's altarpiece (left) dedicated to the churchman. Composed of one large central panel depicting a large Agostino as well as four surrounding narrative panels in which an airborne Agostino appears, it inspires comparisons with the likes of Superman, Spiderman et all.My favou
rite panel is the one where Agostino swoops down from the sky to catch a child who has fallen off a balcony. At least I think that's what he's doing because it isn't clear; he looks like he's giving blessing to the child rather than saving it! And there's a panel of a child being ravaged by a ferocious wolf while Agostino appears from behind a rooftop. Still, like in Batman and Superman, you know all will turn out well in the end. Agostino has a hot line to the divine; why else would an angel be whispering into his ear in the central panel?! Although this is clearly a serious subject, the flying antics of this 13th century Augustinian theologian provoked gales of laughter when I showed it to my students last week.
rite panel is the one where Agostino swoops down from the sky to catch a child who has fallen off a balcony. At least I think that's what he's doing because it isn't clear; he looks like he's giving blessing to the child rather than saving it! And there's a panel of a child being ravaged by a ferocious wolf while Agostino appears from behind a rooftop. Still, like in Batman and Superman, you know all will turn out well in the end. Agostino has a hot line to the divine; why else would an angel be whispering into his ear in the central panel?! Although this is clearly a serious subject, the flying antics of this 13th century Augustinian theologian provoked gales of laughter when I showed it to my students last week. 
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