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Artwork

Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her

Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani , 1391

Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her, by Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani, tempera, 1391
Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her, by Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani, tempera, 1391

Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her is a tempera painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani. It dates from 1391 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition underscores her role as a protector of the vulnerable and a model of virginity, symbolized by the palm of martyrdom and the sacred setting.

The work presents a multi‑scene narrative of the saint’s life, focusing on episodes such as Saint Lucy distributing alms, appearing before the judge Paschasius, and refusing attempts to relocate her, all situated within the shrine of Saint Agatha. These scenes draw on the traditional hagiography in which Lucy’s charity, steadfast faith, and martyrdom are highlighted. The composition underscores her role as a protector of the vulnerable and a model of virginity, symbolized by the palm of martyrdom and the sacred setting.

Executed in tempera on panel in 1381, the painting belongs to the religious genre of late‑medieval Italian art.

Technique & Style

The four panels are painted in tempera on wooden panel, a technique typical of late‑medieval Italian devotional art. The modest dimensions (approximately 25.4 cm high by 38.1 cm wide) correspond to the measurements recorded for the work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. Fine linear outlines define the figures, while the limited palette of earth tones and subtle modeling creates a restrained, almost intimate devotional atmosphere.

The compositions emphasize clear narrative sequencing, with each scene rendered through delicate brushwork and careful attention to drapery, reflecting the stylistic conventions of early 15th‑century panel painting.

History & Provenance

The four-panel narrative cycle depicting scenes from the life of Saint Lucy was created in 1381 by the Sienese painter Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani. Executed in tempera on panel, the work measures 25.4 cm in height and 38.1 cm in width. The specific scenes illustrated include Lucy and her mother visiting the shrine of Saint Agatha, the saint distributing alms, her confrontation before the official Paschasius, and her miraculous resistance to being moved.

While the precise commissioning patron and original location within a religious setting are not detailed in the available records, the work is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The date of 1381 establishes the piece firmly within the late fourteenth-century Sienese artistic tradition.

Overview

Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani, an Italian painter from the late 14th century, completed this tempera panel in 1391. Titled Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her, the work illustrates key episodes from the life of the Christian martyr Saint Lucy. This painting is now part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, Master of the Cini Madonna

Artist & collection

Portrait of Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani

Artist

Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani

Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani was an Italian painter active in Pistoia and Pisa in the second half of the 14th century.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her?

Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her was painted by Giovanni di Bartolomeo Cristiani in 1381-01-01.

Where can I see Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her?

Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her?

Saint Lucy and Her Mother at the Shrine of Saint Agatha; Saint Lucy Giving Alms; Saint Lucy before Paschasius; Saint Lucy Resisting Efforts to Move Her is associated with Italo Byzantine.