Saint John the Evangelist Raises Satheus to Life - Francescuccio Ghissi

A fourteenth-century tempera panel by Francescuccio Ghissi, depicting a narrative scene from the life of Saint John the Evangelist.

This work by Francescuccio Ghissi, an artist active in the Marches region of Italy during the fourteenth century, belongs to a series of panels depicting the life of Saint John the Evangelist. The composition reflects the stylistic conventions of the period, prioritising narrative clarity and symbolic representation over naturalistic perspective. The figures are arranged within a shallow, architectural space, their forms defined by clear outlines and a restrained colour palette. Ghissi employs traditional tempera techniques, utilising gold leaf to create halos and decorative borders that catch the light. The scene depicts the miraculous resurrection of Satheus, a narrative derived from the Golden Legend. The figures exhibit the elongated proportions and expressive gestures characteristic of the late Gothic style in Italy. The interaction between the saint and the kneeling figure is central to the composition, with the surrounding architecture providing a structured frame for the event. As a representative of the Fabriano school, Ghissi maintained a connection to the artistic traditions of Siena, visible in the soft modelling of the faces and the rhythmic arrangement of the drapery. The panel is one of several surviving fragments from a larger altarpiece, which would have served a devotional function in a church or private chapel. The preservation of the original gilding and the clarity of the tempera pigments allow for a close examination of the artist's technique, from the application of the gold ground to the fine brushwork used to define the facial features. This print captures the texture of the original wood panel, offering a view into the devotional art of the Trecento.