Life of St Benedict, Scene 30. Benedict Foretells the Destruction of Montecassino 1508

Curator: Here we have a fresco by Il Sodoma, created in 1508. The work is titled, "Life of St. Benedict, Scene 30. Benedict Foretells the Destruction of Montecassino." Quite a mouthful! Editor: It’s certainly… eventful. There’s so much happening all at once; it’s hard to know where to look. But immediately, there’s a looming sense of something catastrophic about to occur, right? Curator: I think so. It’s that interesting juxtaposition, isn't it? We see this relatively serene landscape in the background, contrasted by the chaos and the impending destruction on the right. The composition guides us, almost relentlessly, from pastoral calm toward turbulent upheaval. Editor: Exactly! The color palette seems split too; gentler blues and greens on the left, offset by the harsher oranges and browns as the architectural structure degrades with each advancing step we make towards it! You almost feel the narrative accelerate towards devastation! The eye just wants to stay put on that small grouping of individuals, though… St. Benedict’s inner circle, maybe? Curator: Perhaps, or key players in this prophecy! Il Sodoma seems really interested in capturing all of those different reactions to the Saint's proclamation. Those turbaned figures in the foreground, the soldiers mounting their horses… Editor: It’s a great study in how we individually meet the inevitable! Do you think it’s alluding to some political commentary? The destruction of the physical representing some kind of philosophical collapse? Curator: I can certainly see that read; art historians have often placed these kinds of narrative scenes into the sociopolitical context of the time. Perhaps it reflects the instability or anxiety of Renaissance Italy? One element that strikes me is how painterly it feels; you get the sense of Sodoma experimenting a lot with his technique. I could get lost in the details of this for ages. Editor: And that merging of oil and fresco... I never think those can work well together. But this almost feels more vibrant than your traditional renaissance! What a ride.