Artwork
Arundel Society watercolour, Copy after the painting St Helena Finds the True Cross, by Piero della Francesca in San Francesco, Arezzo
Arundel Society watercolour, Copy after the painting St Helena Finds the True Cross, by Piero della Francesca in San Francesco, Arezzo is a watercolor work on paper by the Aestheticist artist Cesari Mariannecci. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This watercolour, created in 1850 by Cesari Mariannecci, is a copy of Piero della Francesca's fresco 'St Helena Finds the True Cross' in San Francesco, Arezzo. Produced for the Arundel Society, it showcases Mariannecci's skill in capturing the essence of the original work.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts two scenes from the legend of St Helena, framed by Corinthian columns. The left scene shows St Helena praying before a wooden beam, while the right scene portrays her meeting a bearded man, likely the Jewish high priest, in a temple-like setting.
Technique & Style
The watercolour is characterized by its use of bright, detailed colours and careful handling of light and shadow, which effectively separates the figures and creates a sense of calm. The artist's balanced composition and attention to detail reflect the original fresco's style.
History & Provenance
The watercolour was created for the Arundel Society and later transferred to the National Gallery, from which it was moved in 1995. Its production is a testament to the Society's mission to promote the appreciation of art through reproductions.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
In the 1860s, Mariannecci spent years hunched over watercolors in Rome, squinting at Raphael’s frescoes until her brush matched their curves.
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Copy after Raphael’s ceiling fresco representing ‘Poetry’ in the Stanza della Segnatura (Vatican Palace, Rome,1509-11), 1864
Copy after Raphael’s ceiling fresco representing ‘Theology’ in the Stanza della Segnatura (Vatican Palace, Rome,1508-09), 1864.
Copy after Raphael’s fresco representing the ‘Poets on Mount Parnassus’ in the Stanza della Segnatura (Vatican Palace, Rome, 1510-11), 1864-66
Copy after Michelangelo’s fresco of the ‘Prophet Ezekiel’ on the Sistine Chapel vault (Sistine Chapel, Rome, about 1511)
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Copy after the cycle of the <i>Life of St Francis</i> (<i>Birth of St Francis</i>), Benozzo Gozzoli in San Francesco, Montefalco
Copy after Giambattista Tiepolo’s fresco of the ‘Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra’ in the Ballroom Palazzo Labia, Venice (1746-1747), 1883.