Cimabue (Cenni di Pepo; Florence, c.1240 - 1302 Pisa), Crucifixion, c.1280, fresco, 350 x 690 cm.&nb

Cimabue (Cenni di Pepo; Florence, c.1240 - 1302 Pisa), Crucifixion, c.1280, fresco, 350 x 690 cm.  San Francesco, Assisi

ThisCrucifixion with a small kneeling figure of Saint Francis at the foot of the Cross, a masterpiece of unprecedented drama and dynamism, was part of decoration commissioned to Cimabue and his workshop for the upper basilica. Unfortunately, the frescoes suffered severe damage, mainly due to the oxidation of the white lead that Cimabue used to mix into his paints. This process made the light tones dark, thus creating the effect of a photographic negative.