Life of St Benedict, Scene 7. Benedict Instructs the Peasants 1508

Editor: This is "Life of St Benedict, Scene 7. Benedict Instructs the Peasants," a fresco by Il Sodoma, painted around 1508. I'm struck by how serene and almost theatrical it feels, with the figures arranged against that fantastic landscape. What pulls you in when you look at this piece? Curator: It's the everyday miracle of connection, isn't it? The way Benedict sits, a beacon of calm, drawing these people into his orbit. The colours feel sun-baked, dusty—almost like the earth itself is whispering secrets. But look closely—notice the way the artist has painted the eyes in the crowd; questioning, hopeful, some faces full of wonder, others deeply sceptical. Do you get a sense that Sodoma is poking fun at the villagers' expense? Editor: Not particularly. Maybe a gentle humour? The details are so carefully rendered, I’d guess he saw beauty in all these people. I hadn’t really noticed all those details until now. What else stands out? Curator: The setting: that rocky outcrop almost seems to breathe. And the lone bird circling above? Perhaps it’s Benedict’s spirit, already taking flight, or the artist, watching it all unfold? And it makes me think - what were they all hoping to hear? Did any one convert? Editor: A quiet miracle in fresco, really. The humanity really shines through the landscape. Curator: Exactly. Makes you wonder about the quiet miracles happening around us every day, doesn't it? What seeds are we planting with our own actions and interactions?