Miracle of St. Sylvester; the Raising of Two Pagan Priests, after Maso di Banco, S. Croce, Florence 1835 - 1838

Hippolyte Flandrin created this drawing, "Miracle of St. Sylvester," in the 19th century, replicating Maso di Banco's fresco with delicate graphite lines. The composition is starkly divided, almost symmetrical: on the left stands St. Sylvester, balanced by a solitary figure on the right, their gazes converging on the dramatic scene unfolding at the centre. Flandrin's choice of graphite lends the work a restrained emotional tone. The figures are rendered with minimal shading, focusing our attention on the clear, precise lines that define their forms. This technique emphasizes the scene's structure, highlighting the contrast between the upright, living figures and the prone, resurrected priests. The drawing's formal qualities—its linear precision and compositional balance—invite us to consider how power and faith are represented through visual order. Flandrin's emphasis on structure prompts a re-evaluation of how the scene's narrative is conveyed through form, destabilizing fixed meanings by prioritizing visual architecture over overt emotional expression.