Where can I see The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below?

The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below?

The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below is associated with Italo Byzantine.

Artwork

The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below

The Crucifixion of St. Andrew, with St. Francis and St. Paul below is an unspecified painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Berlinghiero Berlinghieri. It dates from 1234 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is a compact, three‑panel altarpiece designed for a private devotional setting.

About this work

Overview

The work is a compact, three‑panel altarpiece designed for a private devotional setting. Its hinged construction allows the panels to be folded for transport, and the central panel features the Virgin and Child, flanked by groups of saints on each side.

Subject & Meaning

On the left wing Saint Andrew is shown on a cross, with Saint Francis and Saint Paul positioned beneath him; the right wing presents Christ holding the instruments of his Passion, accompanied by Saints Stephen and Lawrence. The selection of saints reflects a personal or familial devotion, integrating both early martyrs and a recently canonised figure.

Technique & Style

The figures are outlined with elongated, flowing lines that define their garments and hands, a stylistic trait inherited from Byzantine iconography that had spread from Constantinople into Italy during the medieval period. The palette and flat modeling further echo this Eastern influence while maintaining a distinctly Italian sensibility.

History & Provenance

The altarpiece is attributed to Berlinghiero of Lucca, one of the earliest Italian painters whose name is documented. Active in Lucca—then the leading artistic hub of Tuscany before the ascendancy of Siena and Florence—Berlinghiero operated a sizable workshop that included his sons, who likely assisted in its execution.

Context

Created at a time when Saint Francis was still a relatively new figure in the church, his presence alongside older saints underscores the evolving devotional landscape of early 13th‑century Italy. The work exemplifies how Byzantine visual conventions were adapted for local religious purposes.