Crucifixion 1420

Fra Angelico painted this small Crucifixion panel in Florence in the first half of the 1400s. His restrained painting captures a pivotal moment from the Bible, one that’s been depicted countless times throughout history. What might set Fra Angelico's work apart? For one thing, this painting would have been commissioned for private devotion. Works like this offer insight into the rise of new forms of piety at the time. Individuals sought a more personal relationship with God, turning away from the grand spectacles of the church. The presence of the skull at the foot of the cross—a memento mori—serves to remind the faithful of their own mortality. It encourages a confrontation with death and the hope of redemption through Christ's sacrifice. To understand this painting, we might look at the documents that recorded religious life in Florence. Examining sermons and devotional tracts could shed light on the changing spiritual landscape in which Fra Angelico worked.