Storie of Saint Ursula, Medieval fresco cycle in Complesso di Santa Caterina, Italy
Stories of Saint Ursula is a fresco sequence with multiple painted panels across three walls, depicting the life and martyrdom of a Christian princess. The panels are now installed at the Civic Museum of Treviso, where visitors can examine the medieval craftsmanship in detail.
The frescoes were created in the Middle Ages as part of the artistic decoration of a religious complex in Treviso. In the late 1800s, an abbot rescued the painted plaster layers from destruction by transferring them onto wooden frames, preserving them for future generations.
The paintings tell the story of a Christian princess whose narrative held deep meaning in medieval religious art traditions. Visitors see how artists portrayed this figure in elaborate scenes with rich details that once helped worshippers understand the story.
The works are located in a museum in Treviso and displayed indoors, offering optimal conditions for viewing. Visitors should allow time to explore the details, as the panels show multiple connected scenes best understood by moving through them slowly.
One of the panels shows an early example of written dialogue between figures, with words appearing to come directly from their mouths. This narrative technique resembles the modern speech balloon and reveals how medieval artists conveyed emotion and action in their storytelling.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
