PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA
(b. 1416, Borgo San Sepolcro, d. 1492, Borgo San Sepolcro)

1. Death of Adam (detail)

1452-66
Fresco
San Francesco, Arezzo

This detail shows two youths on the left, who witness with dismay the first death in the history of man. They are undoubtedly among the most noble and natural creations of the painting of all time. They have always been considered Adamites (part of Adam's family). However, they can also be mythological figures. The two stand apart from the others and are deeply involved with one another, in an intensely emotional rapport expressed by their gazes. The young man, dressed in a feline skin with a long tail, grasps the arm of the young woman, who is dressed in Roman style and whose face is of the purest beauty.




© Web Gallery of Art, created by Emil Krén and Daniel Marx.