The Greatest Picture in the World
In the summer of 1944, a contingent of Allies approached a little walled town situated in the flat valley between Tuscan hills. Their instruction was simple: shell the Nazis within.
The town was Sansepolcro, and the man in charge of the offensive was Anthony Clarke.
A Memory That Saved a Town
Clarke found himself unable to fulfil his orders, simple as they were. A memory stirred within his head. He knew this town… but why? As the answer came to him, news arrived that he had stalled long enough for the Germans to flee. The Allies proceeded into the town, alert in case their information was incorrect.
As Clarke approached the Palazzo della Residenza, he must have let loose a sigh of relief. Within the communal meeting hall, the greatest fresco in the world stood unharmed.
Clarke had read The Best Picture, an essay by Aldous Huxley. In this 1925 publication, Huxley proclaimed the fresco within this hall “stands there before us in entire and actual splendour, the greatest picture in the world.” Clarke hadn’t wanted to be the man who destroyed it. Both Sansepolcro and the best picture in the world survived the war, and Clarke was lauded as a hero. In 1965, he was welcomed back to the Tuscan town, where a street bearing his name – Via Anthony Clarke – was unveiled.
But what was the fresco Clarke saved, and why was it so important?
THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
Sansepolcro is named for the legend of the Holy Sepulchre. Tradition states a relic from the stone sarcophagus within which Christ’s crucified body was placed was brought to the town by its founders in the 10th century.
The Commissioning of The Resurrection
In the 1460s, the Conservatori – chief magistrates and governors – commissioned The Resurrection to be painted within the Palazzo della Residenza. In a time when secular and spiritual were heavily intertwined, they wanted an image to pray before at the start of their councils. They called in Piero della Francesca.
Piero was a local boy, born and raised in the city, and now at the height of his career. A painter, mathematician, and humanist, he was a master of the Early Italian Renaissance. For his hometown, Piero had already painted the Madonna della Misericordia altarpiece for the Church of Misericordia and The Baptism of Christ for the Priority of Sant Giovanni Battista, all while undertaking trips to Ferrara and Rimini.
THE ARTISTIC GENIUS OF PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA
Inspiration and Composition
While Piero’s influence is often linked to Cosimo Tura, the inspiration for The Resurrection’s composition likely came from Niccolò di Segna. The central panel of Segna’s altarpiece for the Duomo Sansepolcro in 1348 depicted Christ stepping out of his sepulchre, surrounded by sleeping soldiers. However, Piero’s vision was distinct.
In Piero’s fresco, Christ stands at the centre of a triangular composition. At the moment of his Resurrection, he steps out of his sarcophagus, waving the Flag of Resurrection – a red cross on a white background, symbolic of Christ’s victory over death and later adopted as St. George’s Cross.
A Balance of Humanity and Divinity
Christ’s body is as perfect as a sculpture from antiquity, yet unidealized. His belly wrinkles as he lifts his leg, and his face, with darkened circles around his eyes, is impassive and stern. He is both man and divine, the latter reinforced by the gilded halo above his head.
At the foot of Christ’s tomb are four sleeping soldiers. Roman by the SPQR on their shield, they were tasked with guarding Christ’s body but are fast asleep, oblivious to the miracle occurring. The soldier facing us head-on is believed to be a self-portrait of Piero, his connection to divinity symbolised by the pole of Christ’s flag aligning with his head.
Symbolism in Light and Nature
Piero eschews miraculous sources of light, opting instead for symbolism. The dawn breaking over the landscape signifies the birth of a new day and a new beginning with Christ’s return to life. Trees in the background reflect this: those touched by light flourish, while those in shadow are withered. This juxtaposition underscores Christ’s transformative power.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAINTING IN THE WORLD
Mathematical Precision Meets Spiritual Depth
The rediscovery of linear perspective by Filippo Brunelleschi influenced Piero, who extended its study. In The Resurrection, Piero uses two vanishing points: one at the centre of the sepulchre and another at Christ’s face. The sarcophagus forms a boundary between these points, creating a unique effect where the soldiers appear above us, yet Christ, though standing higher, meets our gaze directly.
Timeless Beauty and Impact
Why was The Resurrection called the most beautiful painting in the world?
Perhaps it is the mathematical precision with which Piero painted it, Christ standing as the central axis around which everything is organized. Or perhaps it is the profound symbolism: Christ’s triumphant pose towering over the sleeping soldiers symbolizes life’s victory over death, light’s triumph over darkness, and hope renewed. The emotional depth – the tangible exhaustion on Christ’s face paired with serene power – bridges the mortal and eternal.
Piero’s use of atmospheric colour also anticipates the innovations of Leonardo da Vinci in the next generation.
A LEGACY OF INSPIRATION
Whatever the reason, The Resurrection is a timeless fresco that continues to inspire awe. A perfect blend of intellect, emotion, and spiritual depth, it transcends time, resonating with viewers even today.
