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The production of a tabernacle
When Bernardo Daddi was working as an artist in Florence in the first half of the 14th century, painting was considered a craft. The production of a tabernacle involved a number of different craftsmen - carpenters, painters, gilders, all with their own skills and working under regulations laid down by their respective guilds.
Daddi would have been helped by assistants and apprentices in his workshop, and they would have been allocated tasks accorded to their experience. Even when wishing to retain full control over the actual painting he could have left to others the grinding of pigments, the gessoing of panels, the laying of bole, the gilding, burnishing and stamping the gold.
These processes have been described in detail by Cennino Cennini in 'Il libro dell'arte' [The Craftsman Handbook] which he wrote in about 1390. This indispensable source of information describes the techniques, recipes and procedures used by painters in 14th century Tuscany.
If the work was commissioned by a patron it would be subject to an agreement, usually a written contract, concerning such matters as the subject matter, the materials to be used, the payment, and the time for completion. Unfortunately, there are not many surviving contracts from the fourteenth century.
Popular books in 14th century Florence - The Craftsman's Handbook
Bernardo Daddi - his reputation
Was it commissioned or ready-made
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