Nailing of Christ to the Cross 1442

Fra Angelico painted this fresco of the Nailing of Christ to the Cross in the Basilica di San Marco in Florence. The composition is strikingly divided; above, the physical act of crucifixion unfolds with a focus on line and stark angles. Below, more muted colors and flowing lines represent the mourners. The ladders form a visual scaffolding, drawing our eyes upward to the brutal event. Angelico uses perspective not to create depth, but to flatten the scene, emphasizing the symbolic over the literal. The limited palette further reinforces this, with pale blues, pinks, and browns creating a dreamlike, almost detached atmosphere. The fresco embodies a tension between earthly suffering and divine transcendence. The composition invites us to reflect on the painting’s structure and thematic meaning; it’s a meditation on faith, rendered in form and color.