Emilian painter (second half of the 13th century)
Crucifix, Mourners and the Redeemer, 1265 ca.
tempera on panel, inv. P 61
provenance: unknown
This cross is similar to others made for Franciscan religious buildings in various regions of Italy, such as Emilia, Tuscany, Umbria and the Marches.
The authors of these crosses all seem to have been inspired by the Crucifix by Giunta Pisano in the Church of San Domenico in Bologna.
The clear, sharp lines used to trace the body of Christ, according to the Byzantine tradition, communicate a strong sense of drama.
This medieval representation of Christ was abandoned towards the end of the 13th century when the influence of Giotto, the most prominent 14th century Italian painter, began to spread. Several names have been coined by scholars to identify this painter who specialized in Crucifixes: Il "Maestro di San Francesco" (The Master of Saint Francis), Il "Maestro dei Crocefissi Francescani" (The Master of Franciscan Crucifixes), Il "Maestro dei Crocefissi Blu" (The Master of the Blue Crucifixes).
The Cross was moved from the Church of San Girolamo della Certosa to the Medieval Department of the Civic Museum at the end of the 19th century.
