Artwork
The Crucifixion
The Crucifixion is a tempera painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Segna di Bonaventura. It dates from 1315 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the central event shown with Christ on the cross accompanied by the Virgin Mary and an angel.
The painting portrays the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the central event shown with Christ on the cross accompanied by the Virgin Mary and an angel. As a religious work in tempera from 1315, the image follows the traditional iconography of the scene, emphasizing Christ’s sacrifice and the mourning of his followers. The inclusion of Mary and an angel highlights the human grief and divine presence surrounding the moment, reinforcing the work’s meaning as a depiction of redemption and salvation within Christian belief.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1315 by Segna di Bonaventura, this religious painting utilizes tempera applied to a wooden panel support. The work measures 38.1 centimeters in height and 27 centimeters in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, incorporating figures of angels and Mary within the scene.
As a panel painting from the early fourteenth century, the piece exemplifies the medium and classification typical of Sienese religious art of the period, characterized by the application of pigment bound in egg tempera onto a prepared wood surface.
History & Provenance
The Crucifixion by Segna di Bonaventura is dated to 1315, aligning with the artist’s documented activity during the early 14th century. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains housed. Prior to this, it was owned by Robert Lehman, whose bequest in 1975 transferred the work to the museum.
The panel is a tempera on wood, consistent with the materials and techniques of the period. The commission and original location are unrecorded, but the work’s iconography and style situate it within Sienese devotional traditions of the time.
The Crucifixion by Segna di Bonaventura, a tempera panel dating to 1315, is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work belongs to the Robert Lehman Collection, as indicated by its ownership record. Its physical dimensions are recorded as 38.1 cm in height and 27 cm in width. No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Context
The Crucifixion (c.1315) by Segna di Bonaventura is a tempera panel measuring 38.1 × 27 cm, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus with Mary and an angel, typical of 14th‑century devotional imagery. Held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the Robert Lehman collection, the work exemplifies early Tuscan painting and the stylistic concerns of the Italian trecento, such as flat spatial treatment and emphasis on sacred narrative. Scholars studying Italian primitives regard the piece as an illustrative example of devotional art that reflects the religious climate of early fourteenth‑century Florence, informing broader discussions of narrative composition and iconography in pre‑Renaissance painting.
Legacy
The Crucifixion, executed in tempera around 1315 by Segna di Bonaventura, is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the Robert Lehman Collection, a placement that has sustained scholarly attention to the piece. Its status as a well‑preserved trecento religious painting contributes to discussions of early Italian devotional art and illustrates the transmission of medieval iconography into modern museum narratives. The work’s inclusion in a major collection underscores its recognized significance within the canon of Italian Renaissance art.
Overview
The Crucifixion presents a solemn depiction of Jesus Christ's final moments on the cross. The central figure is flanked by a gathering of individuals, many robed and expressing grief. Above, celestial beings hover, contributing to the scene's profound spiritual atmosphere. This tempera painting captures a pivotal event with a focus on its emotional and devotional impact.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Segna di Bonaventura, also known as Segna de Bonaventura, and as Segna di Buonaventura, was an Italian painter of the Sienese School.
