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The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below

Berlinghiero Berlinghieri

1234

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Italo Byzantine Medieval Religious

Dominant colour

The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below is a 1234 unspecified by Berlinghiero Berlinghieri, a Italo Byzantine work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Berlinghiero Berlinghieri
When & what style?: 1234 · Italo Byzantine
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a small, foldable altarpiece with three panels. In the center is the Virgin and Child. On the left, Saint Andrew hangs on a cross, with Saint Francis and Saint Paul below. On the right, Christ holds tools of his suffering, flanked by two more saints. This painting was made for private prayer, not a grand church. The long, wavy lines in the robes and hands show how artists in Italy borrowed styles from the Byzantine Empire. It’s rare to see Saint Francis here—he was still new to the church when this was painted. Look up other works from Italy to see how this style spread.

The story of this work

Overview

This small altarpiece, intended for a domestic interior or private chapel, consists of three panels, allowing it to be folded and easily transported. Surrounding the Virgin and Child in the center are various saints. On the left is Saint Andrew crucified, with St. Francis and St. Paul below; on the right, Christ with the instruments of the Passion, and St. Stephen and St. Lawrence below. The long expressive lines that define the clothing and hands of the figures are typical of Byzantine painting, which spread from Constantinople to Italy in the Middle Ages. Berlinghiero is one of the earliest…

Did you know?

Berlinghiero is one of the earliest Italian painters known by name. He headed a large workshop in Lucca, the most important artistic center in Tuscany before the rise of Siena and Florence.

Read the full account in the museum source.