The Funeral of Saint Stephen

c. 1460

Fra Filippo Lippi

(Italian, c. 1406–1469)

Culture

Italy, Florence

Medium

pen and brown ink with brush and brown wash with traces of stylus over traces of black chalk

Support

Beige(1) laid paper, lined with cream(3) laid paper

Measurements

Sheet: 24.9 x 19.3 cm (9 13/16 x 7 5/8 in.); Secondary Support: 24.9 x 19.3 cm (9 13/16 x 7 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund 1947.70

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Location

Not on view

Description

Since frescoes in 15th-century Italy often presented complex narratives, details of storytelling had to be carefully worked out before beginning to paint on wet plaster. Here Fra (Father) Filippo Lippi made a preliminary plan for a composition depicting the funeral of Saint Stephen, part of his fresco cycle on the lives of Saints Stephen and John the Baptist in the cathedral of Prato. His use of the free-flowing but permanent medium of ink allows us to see today the areas where he changed his mind—such as the placement of Stephen’s head and the figure at the altar.