Triumph of Death

The Fresco of Buonamico Buffalmacco depicting the Triumph of Death is the first of a series of three great scenes for the Campo Santo of Pisa and was executed between 1336 and 1341, commissioned by the Dominican friars. Detached from the wall and brought back onto canvas, the work has been relocated onto the south-east wall of the Camposanto after a valid restoration. This scene is the most emblematic of the Camposanto cycle, with its interpretation of the free and disorganized space, in contrast to the prevalent contemporary Giottesque school, with narrative characteristics that have no immediate comparison in the painting of the first half of the 14th century. The state of conservation is rather ruined, but given the dramatic events that these paintings have gone through, it is at least a miracle that we can admire it today. The main problem lies in the color, which has lost its incisiveness due to a widespread pulverization over the centuries, also due to its indoor location, but in continuous contact with the outside air, making it difficult to read the details, which often appear "smoothed" with the background. The best-preserved areas remain the highest, in particular the battle between angels and demons, and the two courteous scenes on the sides. The theme of the Triumph of Death, linked to the belief of the end of the world, takes on a strongly suggestive value within the walls of a cemetery.

Inception: 1336

Creator: Buonamico Buffalmacco

Height: 560 cm

Width: 1,500 cm

Material: fresco

Source: Wikimedia