Artwork
Saint Nicholas Saving a Hang
Saint Nicholas Saving a Hang is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Zanobi Machiavelli. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
The saint, identified by a golden halo, reaches toward a condemned figure, suggesting a moment of rescue.
Created in 1470 by the Florentine painter and illuminator Zanobi Machiavelli, this tempera panel portrays a dramatic intervention by Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. The composition centers on a group of men in vivid red and brown garments gathered before a city wall, with a gallows and a hanging rope visible in the background. The saint, identified by a golden halo, reaches toward a condemned figure, suggesting a moment of rescue.
Subject & Meaning
The narrative illustrates Saint Nicholas of Tolentino interceding to halt the execution of a soldier, a theme drawn from hagiographic accounts of the saint’s miracles. By placing the saint’s hand on the captive’s arm, Machiavelli emphasizes divine compassion and the power of intercession, inviting viewers to contemplate the tension between earthly justice and spiritual mercy.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempero, the work displays the medium’s characteristic flatness and fine detail, allowing Machiavelli to render intricate fabrics and architectural elements. The palette relies on saturated reds, earthy browns, and muted blues, while the use of chiaroscuro subtly models the figures against the cityscape, reflecting early Renaissance interests in naturalism and narrative clarity.
History & Provenance
Zanobi Machiavelli, active in the mid‑15th century, produced this religious commission shortly before his death in Pisa in 1479. The panel eventually entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of Italian Renaissance art, providing insight into lesser‑known Florentine workshop practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Zanobi Machiavelli (1418–1479) was an Italian painter and illuminator. Machiavelli specialized in religious themed pieces. Some of his works reside at the National Gallery, London, and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. He…
