The Crucifixion of Saint Peter and the Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist

The crucifixion of Saint Peter and the decapitation of Saint John the Baptist are combined in this 1426 panel at the Gemaldegalerie in Berlin, part of the Pisa Altarpiece predella. Combining two martyrdom scenes in a single panel was a standard predella format, allowing the altarpiece to honor multiple saints within limited space. Masaccio organizes the dual narrative with characteristic spatial clarity, giving each scene its own area while maintaining visual unity.

The two martyrdom scenes are separated compositionally while sharing a continuous spatial setting, demonstrating Masaccio"s skill in organizing complex narrative within a restricted format. Peter"s inverted crucifixion and the Baptist"s decapitation create contrasting dramatic rhythms—vertical and horizontal—within the same panel. The figures are rendered with consistent lighting and modeling, their physical presence as convincing as in Masaccio"s larger-scale works.