The crucifixion

This mid-fourteenth-century Crucifixion by the Master of the Pesaro Crucifix exemplifies the devotional panel paintings produced in the Marche region of Italy during the Gothic period. The anonymous master takes his name from a group of stylistically related crucifixes, reflecting the strong demand for such images in Adriatic coastal churches. The emotional intensity of the subject reflects the growing influence of Franciscan spirituality on Italian Gothic art.

Painted in tempera and gold on a shaped wooden panel, the work follows the convention of the croce dipinta tradition. The elongated figure of Christ and the stylized blood flow show Byzantine-derived formulae filtered through Giottesque innovations.