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MICHELANGELO Buonarroti: Martyrdom of St Peter

🖼 Martyrdom of St Peter, 1546-50
Fresco
625 × 662 cm
Rome, Italy

An inverted crucifixion dominates the composition, with muscular figures straining against gravity in dynamic, twisted poses rendered through bold chiaroscuro. The scene revolutionized religious art by depicting martyrdom as visceral human struggle rather than serene transcendence, influencing Baroque dramaticism.

Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Frank Zöllner
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