Artwork
Crucifix
Crucifix is a tempera painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci. It dates from 1370 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
These accompanying saints frame the narrative of the Passion, emphasizing the theological significance of Christ's sacrifice.
The work, created in 1370, depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as its primary subject. As a piece of religious art, the composition includes specific figures surrounding the central event: the Virgin Mary, John the Evangelist, Anthony the Great, and Francis of Assisi. These accompanying saints frame the narrative of the Passion, emphasizing the theological significance of Christ's sacrifice.
The inclusion of Francis of Assisi and Anthony the Great, both revered for their piety and connection to Christ's suffering, reinforces the devotional purpose of the panel. Executed in tempera on panel, the image serves as a visual focus for meditation on the redemptive act of the crucifixion, characteristic of late 14th-century Florentine religious painting.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in tempera on a wooden panel, typical of Italian panel painting of the late Trecento. The support measures approximately 45.7 cm in height and 33.7 cm in width. The sources record the medium and support but do not detail the artist's handling, the painting's current condition, or specific formal/stylistic characteristics beyond its religious subject and date of circa 1370.
It is classified as a painting and belongs to the religious genre, and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The Crucifix was executed in 1370 by Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci, a Florentine painter documented in contemporary records. The work, rendered in tempera on panel, portrays the crucifixion of Jesus flanked by saints such as Anthony the Great, John the Evangelist, Francis of Assisi, Mary and Mary Magdalene. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display in the European paintings wing.
No earlier ownership records are cited, but the stylistic analysis aligns with the Orcagnesque Misericordia workshop, of which Silvestro was a member. The dating is confirmed by both documentary reference and the museum’s catalog entry.
The Crucifix by Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is recorded as part of the museum's collection of religious paintings. The work, executed in tempera on panel around 1370, is catalogued under the museum's internal records as a tempera panel measuring 45.7 × 33.7 cm. No specific accession or inventory number is documented in the sources examined. The painting has been included in the museum's permanent display of European medieval art, allowing public viewings within the institution's gallery spaces.
Context
Created in 1370, the Crucifix is a tempera-on-panel work attributed to Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci, who is also identified in scholarship as the Master of the Orcagnesque Misericordia. The piece exemplifies the religious art of late fourteenth-century Florence, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus flanked by figures including Mary, John the Evangelist, and saints Anthony the Great and Francis of Assisi. Measuring 45.7 by 33.7 centimeters, the work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Its attribution to Gherarducci situates it within the artistic milieu of the Certosa di Firenze, reflecting the devotional practices and stylistic tendencies of the period. The painting serves as a significant example of the artist's output, bridging the traditions of Orcagna with the evolving devotional needs of the late Trecento.
Overview
This cross-shaped painting, titled Crucifix, depicts Jesus Christ centrally affixed to the cross, his head inclined downwards. The composition is enriched by two robed figures positioned on either side of Christ. Above and below the main cross, two monks are depicted, each holding a book.
The artwork utilizes tempera paint, characterized by its dark blue background and luminous gold leaf borders, contributing to its devotional character.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Silvestro dei Gherarducci (c. 1339 – c. 1399) was an Italian painter and illuminator in Florence. He became a monk and later a prior of the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli where he first started work on illustrations for manuscripts.
