"The Crucifixion"

Paolo Veneziano (Venetian, active 1333 - 1358) was the most prominent painter in Venice in the 14th century and exerted a lasting influence there. He and his sons were commissioned to paint panels to cover the magnificent high altar called the Pala d’Oro in Saint Mark’s Basilica, one of the city’s greatest treasures. Concealed behind Paolo’s wooden altarpiece, the Pala—which consisted of gold and enameled plaques from Byzantium framed with pearls and jewels—was visible only on feast days; Church leadership needed something beautiful and instructive for parishioners to view the remainder of the year. Being awarded this important commission is an indication of the status of Paolo and his workshop.

Paolo’s art combined Byzantine and Western European elements in terms of the settings and biblical narratives he chose and in his artistic style.