Artwork
Lamentation
Lamentation is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Cenni di Francesco. It dates from 1375 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1375 by the Florentine Gothic painter Cenni di Francesco, this panel painting on poplar depicts a biblical lamentation scene. Executed with the rich gold background typical of Byzantine influence, the work now belongs to the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Subject & Meaning
The composition gathers mourners around the cross, focusing on a central figure holding a book and gazing downward. The assembled figures, some kneeling, wear colorful robes and halos, emphasizing their sacred status and the solemnity of Christ’s death.
Technique & Style
Cenni employs the flat, ornamental approach of Byzantine iconography, using gold leaf to illuminate the background and vivid pigments for the garments. The spatial setting includes stylized trees and rocks, while the figures are rendered with linear outlines rather than naturalistic modeling.
History & Provenance
Attributed to a limited oeuvre, Cenni di Francesco is also known for a signed fresco in Volterra and a work in Florence’s Santa Maria Novella. The Lamentation panel entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the 19th century, where it remains on display.
Context
The painting reflects the transitional period in late‑fourteenth‑century Florence, when Gothic sensibilities merged with lingering Byzantine visual conventions. Such works served devotional purposes, offering a visual focus for contemplation of Christ’s Passion.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cenni di Francesco di ser Cenni was an Italian Gothic painter active in Florence between 1369/1370 and 1415.
