Artwork
The Crippled and Sick Cured at the Tomb of Saint Nicholas
The Crippled and Sick Cured at the Tomb of Saint Nicholas is an oil painting by the Early Renaissance artist Gentile da Fabriano. It dates from 1425 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
Documented in situ by 1518 as a "very beautiful altarpiece painted by Gentile da Fabriano," it bore an inscription naming the artist and dating it to May 1425.
The panel was commissioned for the main altar of San Niccolò Oltrarno, Florence, where it remained until the 1790s.
Documented in situ by 1518 as a "very beautiful altarpiece painted by Gentile da Fabriano," it bore an inscription naming the artist and dating it to May 1425. By about 1803–05 it had entered the collection of Tommaso Puccini at Villa a Scornia near Pistoia. It passed to his nephew Niccolò Puccini, then to Niccolò's sister, who married into the Tucci family.
By 1899 it was held by Marchese Alessandro Tucci and his co-heirs from the Spada family in Pistoia. It next appeared on the Roman art market around 1928 before entering the collection of Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi in Florence. Purchased in June 1937 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, it was given in 1939 to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The painting is housed in the National Gallery of Art as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection. Its provenance traces from its original placement on the main altar of San Niccolò Oltrarno in Florence, through private ownership in Tuscany and a series of family successions, to its acquisition by Kress.
Overview
Gentile da Fabriano's painting, "The Crippled and Sick Cured at the Tomb of Saint Nicholas," was completed in 1425. This religious work, executed in tempera on panel, illustrates a scene of divine intervention and healing. It captures a moment of spiritual significance, characteristic of early 15th-century Italian art, focusing on the miraculous power attributed to Saint Nicholas.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a bustling scene within an elaborate architectural setting, characterized by tall arches and red floors. A central focus is a richly adorned tomb, draped with cloth and featuring golden embellishments, around which several figures gather. Among them, individuals in vibrant red, blue, and green robes observe as others transport a man on a stretcher, signifying the miraculous cures occurring at the saint's resting place. The composition conveys both activity and reverence.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera on panel, the artwork demonstrates the luminous quality and precise detail achievable with this medium. Gentile da Fabriano employed a palette of vivid colors, evident in the bright red, blue, and green robes of the figures. The architectural elements, such as the grand stone room, tall arches, and decorated columns, are rendered with meticulous attention, reflecting the artist's characteristic approach to creating richly textured and visually engaging narratives.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gentile da Fabriano was a traveler who followed the money. Around 1420 he landed in Florence chasing richer patrons than his Umbrian hometown could offer. He liked gold leaf more than gold coins, his paintings shimmer…
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