Crucifix 1272

Cimabue's "Crucifix" (1272) is a significant work of the Italian Gothic period. This monumental wooden crucifix, housed in the Basilica of San Domenico in Arezzo, Italy, features a life-size depiction of Christ on the cross. Cimabue, a pioneer in Italian art, infused the work with a sense of naturalism and emotional depth, breaking away from the flat, stylized figures of Byzantine art. The expressive features of Christ and the detailed rendering of his anatomy mark a departure from traditional representations, foreshadowing the artistic breakthroughs of the Renaissance.