Fra Angelico’s Crucifixion in the Convent of San Domenico in Fiesole Restored
Thanks to Friends of Florence Support
Florence, Italy…Following an intensive restoration process, Fra Angelico’s Crucifixion (1433-34), a masterpiece of extraordinary artistry and presence, has been restored in the Convent of San Domenico in Fiesole, Italy. Made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the Friends of Florence Foundation, the project was conducted under the supervision of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle arti e Paesaggio (ABAP) for the City of Florence and the provinces of Pistoia and Prato.
While the fresco is characteristic of Fra Angelico’s style, the depiction of Christ is unusual in that the head is bowed down. The cross, placed in a highly stylized Golgotha, stands out against a dark blue, almost black background. The image is contained in a frame decorated with spiraling volutes and quadrangular elements. The inscription in the cartouche above the cross is represented in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew (Jesus Nazarene King of the Jews).
“Friends of Florence’s commitment to the works of Fra Angelico continues with the sublime Crucifixion,” said Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda, President of Friends of Florence. “Within the Convent’s Chapter House, the sense of serenity and spirituality conveyed by the work evokes an exceptionally moving experience. We thank the Convent Fathers for opening the doors and their kind hospitality, ABAP Superintendency officials for their oversight, and the generous donor Gerhard De Geer who supported the project together with Dr. Camilla Alderighi, Dr. Raffaele Rasoini, and Dr. Steven Woloshin, co-founders of Bottega Belacqua. In addition, we are grateful to the restorers, Cristiana Conti and Alessandra Popple, for their expertise and dedication to this special project by the Renaissance master.”
