Piero della Francesca（2）Legend of the True Cross

其实，宗教的本质都是自虐自怜。这在一神教里达到了顶峰，连神自己都要上十字架。宗教是最深刻的人学，人类对自身无能，渺小，最终灭亡的最真诚，深刻地坦白和哭号。
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In 1452 Piero began the wonderful cycle of frescoes dealing with stories of the True Cross for the choir of the Basilica of San Francesco (Church of St. Francis) in Arezzo. The frescoes were inspired by stories from the thirteenth-century Golden Legend. The painter ignored the chronological sequence of the scenes in favor of "a structured rhythm and clear symmetry between the walls". This work demonstrates Piero’s advanced knowledge of perspective and color, his geometric orderliness and skill in pictorial construction. His cycle of frescoes depicting the Legend of the True Cross is generally considered among his masterworks and those of Renaissance painting in general. Its theme, derived from the popular 13th century book on the lives of saints by Jacopo da Varagine, the Golden Legend, is the triumph of the True Cross – the wood from the Garden of Eden that became the Cross on which Christ was crucified. This work demonstrates Piero’s advanced knowledge of perspective and color, his geometric orderliness and skill in pictorial construction.


The Fresco Cycle (View of the Cappella Maggiore


Death of Adam：The fresco cycle starts with the dying Adam, humanity's ancestor, sending one of his sons, Seth, to Archangel Michael, who presented the son with a seed from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. On his return Seth placed the seed into Adam's mouth just before the latter's death.

Adoration of the Wood and the Queen of Sheba Meeting with Solomon：The tree grew on Adam's grave. Centuries later it was chopped down, but as its wood could not be used for anything, the trunk was thrown across a stream to serve as a bridge. The Queen of Sheba, on her way to the wise King Solomon, was about to step on the bridge, when she heard a divine message that the Savior would be crucified on the cross from this wood. She knelt in veneration. Then the Queen hurried to the King Solomon to tell him about her vision.

Burial of the Wood：The wise King Solomon understood the prophecy – the death of the Savior on the cross would cause the end of the kingdom of the Jews, the kingdom of his people – and trying to prevent the events ordered the wood to be hidden.

Torment of the Jew

Discovery and Proof of the True Cross.

Exaltation of the Cross

the Battle of Heraclius and Chosroes

the Battle of Heraclius and Chosroes

the Battle of Heraclius and Chosroes

Battle Between Heraclius and Chosroes

Battle Between Heraclius and Chosroes

the Battle of Heraclius and Chosroes