Judas hanged

Pietro Lorenzetti's depiction of Judas hanged forms part of his extensive Passion cycle in the Lower Basilica of San Francesco at Assisi, painted around 1310–1320. This dramatic scene of Judas's suicide after betraying Christ was a standard element in Gothic Passion narratives but rarely received such powerful treatment. Pietro's version in the Franciscan mother church reflects the order's emphasis on Christ's suffering and the moral consequences of betrayal, themes central to Franciscan spirituality and preaching.

The fresco employs Pietro's characteristic bold compositional choices, with the isolated figure of Judas creating a stark visual contrast against the architectural backdrop. The expressive distortion of the body and the somber palette convey psychological intensity through formal means.