St. George slaying the Dragon; A Triptych

Born in 1856, Ricciardo Meacci studied at the Instituto di Belle Arti de Siena between 1871 and 1880. It is thought that during these years Meacci may have come into contact with the English Pre-Raphaelite artists Sir Edward Burne Jones and Charles Fairfax Murray (both of whom visited Siena, in 1875 and 1877 respectively). Stylistically the work of Meacci seems to reflect the influence of these English Nineteenth-Century artists, for example in his pure, linear, classical style.

The subject of the present painting is taken from the story of St George slaying the Dragon which became immensley popular in nineteenth century European art and literature. Meacci represents this story in the form of a triptych. In the left-hand side panel Saint George is depicted on horseback slaying the dragon. On the right-hand side the dragon is shown imprisoned by St. George. The central panel shows St. George leading the newly converted in front of Christ. The composition is presented in a Florentine style frame, the base for which contains scenes of the Nativity.