The Palazzo Bellomo Altarpiece of St. Barbara: Detail, The Tower with Three Windows
16th century
Oil on panel
Palazzo Bellomo, Syracuse, Sicily
At Barbara's command, the workers have put a set of three windows into the tower or cistern that her father had ordered built. When he returns from his journey, he asks Barbara why. Here is the corresponding passage in Caxton:
Then St. Barbara, the ancille [handmaid] of our Lord Jesu Christ, descended from the tower for to come see the work of her father, and anon she perceived that there were but two windows only, that one against the south, and that other against the north, whereof she was much abashed and amarvelled, and demanded of the workmen why they had not made no more windows, and they answered that her father had so commanded and ordained.
Then St. Barbara said to them: Make me here another window.
They answered: Dame, we fear and dread to anger your father, which commanded us to make no more ne [nor] we dare not therefore make no more.
The blessed maid said: Do and make that I command you, and I shall content my father, and shall excuse you against him.
…
And when the work was full performed, her father returned from his voyage, and when he saw there three windows, he demanded of the workmen: Wherefore have ye made three windows?
And they answered: Your daughter hath commanded so.
Then he made his daughter to come afore him, and demanded her why she had do make three windows, and she answered to him, and said: I have done them to be made because three windows lighten all the world and all creatures, but two make darkness.
View the entire altarpiece.
Read more about St. Barbara.
Photographed at the site by Claire Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.