Dalmasio di Iacopo Scannabecchi
The Emperor Trajan and the Widow
Second half of 14th century
Fresco
Bardi Chapel, Santa Maria Novella, Florence
The Golden Legend recounts the story of St. Gregory's anguish over the fate of the Emperor Trajan, who took time off from an important battle to see that justice be done for a widow. By Christian theology all unbelievers were headed for Hell, yet this emperor was a mild and merciful man. The saint prayed about it, and a voice came from God saying, "I have now heard thy prayer, and have spared Trajan from the pain perpetual." In Paradiso XX, Dante posits that what God did was to grant Trajan while alive a vision of Christ. Trajan then believed in Christ and was saved.
The image is one of a series of frescos on the life of St. Gregory that were painted for the Bardi Chapel. Apparently its attribution to Dalmasio di Iacopo Scannabecchi is not certain. The label in the church says it may be the work of another artist who is known only as "Pseudo-Dalmasio di Iacopo Scannabecchi."
View this image in full resolution.
Read more about St. Gregory the Great.
Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.