Chiesa di San Domenico

The Gothic church of San Domenico in Arezzo houses a painted crucifix by Cimabue, dated 1265–71. It presents the “Christus patiens”: Christ’s eyes are closed, his head rests against one shoulder and his body curves to one side. The church itself was begun in 1275 and completed in the fourteenth century.

Why it matters

The crucifix is considered one of Cimabue’s youthful masterpieces and is an important development in the representation of the suffering Christ. Its figures and modelling continue a tradition associated with the earlier crucifix of Giunta Pisano at San Domenico in Bologna, while giving Christ’s body greater volume and expression. The work belongs to the period before the artistic generation of Giotto, whom Vasari later described as Cimabue’s pupil.

What to notice

At the ends of the crossbar, the Virgin Mary and Saint John appear half-length, each resting the head on a hand in grief. Above Christ is the Latin inscription “Hic est Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum”; a smaller round panel above shows Christ blessing. Geometric ornament marks the section from the torso to the knees, while red streams of blood descend from the wounds in the feet.

The church’s interior forms a single nave beneath a timber roof. Twelve single-lancet windows admit light, set progressively closer together toward the apse to heighten the sense of depth. Paintings by Spinello Aretino and his son Parri di Spinello represent successive generations of local art in the church.

Context and history

Construction of San Domenico began in 1275 and continued into the fourteenth century. The church hosted a papal conclave in January 1276, while building work was still under way. The crucifix and the church’s later fresco decoration preserve different stages in the development of Arezzo’s medieval art.