Monday, August 17, 2009

Piero della Francesca - Baptism of Christ

This panel was the central section of a polyptych. It may be one of Piero's earliest extant works. Side panels and a predella were painted in the early 1460s.

Piero della Francesca
The Baptism of Christ
1450's
Medium: Egg on poplar
Dimensions: 65.75 x 45.7 in (167 x 116 cm)
Collection of the The National Gallery UK


The yellow divisions are the Golden Ratio's of the height and width (.382 and .618). The reddish lines are 1/4 and 1/2 divisions and the 1/2 diagonals. The green and cyan are 1/3, 1/6, 1/9 divisions and the 1/3 diagonals. The National Gallery link has photographs and more information

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

fab picture

tony said...

The first time I saw this painting I was 10 or 11 years of age & I was completely overwhelmed by it. I have seen it through my teenage years & well beyond & it's freshness has lasted. What gives me the greatest pleasure now is how della Francesca invites the eye to travel across the surface of the painting, all without losing momentum. If ever there was an example of a visual continuum held within one work I think this is it. Thankyou for the posting -a perfect finale to the night of Christmas Day.