Who painted The Funeral of Saint Stephen?

The Funeral of Saint Stephen was painted by Filippo Lippi in 1460.

Where can I see The Funeral of Saint Stephen?

The Funeral of Saint Stephen is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Funeral of Saint Stephen?

The Funeral of Saint Stephen is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Funeral of Saint Stephen

Filippo Lippi , 1460

The Funeral of Saint Stephen is a drawing by the Renaissance artist Filippo Lippi. It dates from 1460 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1947.70
Credit line: John L. Severance Fund

About this work

You see a crowd of people gathered around a body laid on the ground, hands clasped in grief.

You see a crowd of people gathered around a body laid on the ground, hands clasped in grief.

This isn’t a finished painting, it’s a rare sketch from the 1400s. Most drawings from this time were quick studies of faces or fabric. This one shows Lippi planning a whole scene, which makes it special. The lines are loose but confident, like he’s thinking out loud on paper.

If you want to see more like this, look up italy, florence, 15th century.

Overview

The Funeral of Saint Stephen is a rare drawing from 15th-century Italy, a period from which few drawings survive. Created by Fra Filippo Lippi, it is a compositional study, showcasing the artist's planning process for a larger work.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a mourning crowd gathered around the body of Saint Stephen, whose hands are clasped together. The scene conveys a sense of grief and solemnity, capturing a moment of communal sorrow.

Technique & Style

Characterized by loose yet confident lines, the drawing reveals Lippi's thought process as he developed the composition. The sketchy quality of the work suggests a spontaneous and exploratory approach to planning the arrangement of figures in his art.

History & Provenance

Attributed to Fra Filippo Lippi through stylistic comparison with his other works, the drawing is linked to a fresco painting of the same subject by the artist, confirming its authenticity.

Artist & collection

Artist

Filippo Lippi

Filippo Lippi (c. 1406 – 8 October 1469), also known as Lippo Lippi, was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Quattrocento (fifteenth century) and a Carmelite priest. He was an early Renaissance master of a painting…