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Though seemingly self-contained, this panel is actually a fragment of a larger painting that was cut in half across the middle. The tops of two haloes are all that remain of Mary and St. John the Evangelist, who originally flanked the cross in the lower half of the panel, now missing. While the Armenian bole (a red earth pigment) foundation beneath the gold leaf shows through in many places, the figure of Christ is in excellent condition. Orcagna's attention to the anatomical details of Christ's torso reveals his training as a sculptor.
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