Painting on Vault Ribs in the Church of Santa Croce in Florence
1842
Imagine looking up inside the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, past the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, to see this dazzling ceiling pattern. This 1842 lithograph by Friedrich Maximilian Hessemer acts as a time capsule, documenting the 'Malerei an Gewölbrippen' (paintings on vault ribs) before centuries of wear or restoration could fade them. The design features striking vertical bands: outer teal stripes sprinkled with gold stars flank a complex center of yellow geometric lattices and reddish-brown floral motifs. It’s a perfect example of how 19th-century architects obsessively recorded medieval details, turning structural ribs into a canvas of gold, blue, and red.
- Technique
- Lithograph
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