Copy after the Death of St Francis, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Sassetti Chapel, Chiesa di Santa Trinita (Florence)

Rapisardi employs watercolour with careful layering to suggest depth and texture, mimicking the tonal richness of the original fresco. Strong contrasts between light and shadow, characteristic of chiaroscuro, model the figures and architecture with subtle gradations. Facial expressions and hand gestures are rendered with precision, even in shadowed areas, conveying emotional nuance without overt dramatization. The technique prioritizes clarity and fidelity over expressive flourish.

The watercolour was produced in 1850 by Michele Rapisardi under the auspices of the Arundel Society, an organization dedicated to documenting and distributing high-quality reproductions of medieval and Renaissance art. It was part of a broader 19th-century effort to make important Italian artworks accessible to scholars and the public beyond Florence. The copy remains a record of Ghirlandaio’s fresco before later restorations altered its appearance.

In mid-19th-century Europe, there was a growing scholarly interest in preserving early Italian art through accurate reproductions. The Arundel Society’s project responded to concerns about deterioration and loss. Rapisardi’s watercolour reflects this movement’s values: meticulous observation, historical respect, and the belief that art’s educational value lay in its faithful transmission across time and medium.

Though not an original Renaissance work, this watercolour endures as a valuable document of 19th-century art conservation practices. It provides insight into how Ghirlandaio’s fresco was perceived before modern restoration and offers a window into the methods used to study and share pre-modern art. Its existence underscores the enduring influence of early Italian painting on later generations of artists and scholars.