Luca Signorelli Frescoes, San Crescentino, Morra, Tuscany Umbria Border

Born in Cortona, Tuscany, Luca Signorelli (1441- 1523) was a pupil of Piero della Francesca. he was particularly interested in painting the human body, but also showed the influence of Piero della Francesca with his spatial awareness and handling of light. His undoubted masterpiece is the fresco cycle depicting the events in the Book of Revelations in Orvieto Cathedral. The twisted, muscled bodies depicted in these frescoes inspired Michelangelo when he stayed in Orvieto on his way paint the Sistine Chapel. However, many art books, even those specifically about Luca Signorelli, fail to mention the superb frescoes he painted in the tiny church of San Crescentino, Morra, Umbria.

Oratorio di San Crescentino, Morra, Umbria

These frescoes are well worth seeing and are easily accessible from most of Gorgacce Rentals’ Villas in Tuscany & Umbria. To find the church, which is actually 500m or so out of the village, it’s easiest to take the second sign on the right if you are coming from the town of Trestina in Umbria (if you take the first sign you come to a junction with no further indication of where to go). If you are coming from Castiglion Fiorentino in Tuscany, take the first sign for San Crescentino. It’s on the left just after you pass the “Morra” village sign. Park at the church and walk 100m or so down the track to find the house of the “Custodio”, who will let you in to church, it costs €3.

Luca Signorelli, Flagellation, Oratorio di San Crescentino Morra Umbria

The fresco cycle showed the events leading up to and after Christ’s crucifixion. Most are too badly damaged to see what is happening but the two panels near the altar, the Flagellation of Christ and the Crucifixion are well preserved. They were restored in the early 1990’s with money from Alberto Burri, Citta di Castello’s famous modern artist. The Flagellation shows several powerfully built men inflicting the flagellation while Christ stares resignedly out. The patterned floor is a feature of many of Luca Signorelli’s paintings, a technique he used to demonstrate his mastery of perspective.

The Crucifixion shows Mary passed out at the foot of the cross while the crowd of soldiers and strongly foreshortened horses are highly reminiscent of the battle scenes in Piero della Francesca’s Arezzo frescoes. If you’ve seen Luca Signorelli’s frescoes in Orvieto, you’ll probably recognise some of the faces in the crowd, others reminded me of the faces in Piero della Francesca’s frescoes, hardly surprising since Luca Signorelli would have been influenced by his teacher.

Luca Signorelli, Crucifixion, Oratorio di San Crescentino Morra Umbria

In the fragments that remain of the other panels, there is a beautiful picture of  Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey and the empty tomb after the Resurrection.

At the moment the church is only open from 15.00-17.30, however, from July 15 it should be open from 09.30-12.30 and from 15.00-19.00, (these hours will change in the autumn). It is always closed on Mondays.

See the location of Luca Signorelli Frescoes, San Crescentino, Morra, Umbria (opens Google Maps).

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