The time of Pietro da Saluzzo

Franciscan brothers commissioned the realization of the frescos of the vault in Santa Croce chapel in the second half of the fifteenth century. Pietro da Saluzzo was chosen to be the painter and the Passion of Christ the main theme. It was suggested that the quality of colours from blue to gold and other colours had to be 'good and fine'.
The theme consists of several scenes: the Entry into Jerusalem and the Last Supper, Christ in the Garden and the Kiss of Judas, The scourging and mocking of Jesus , the Denial of Peter, the Judgment of Pilate and the Way to Calvary; in the northern transverse arch we can see the Betrayal of Judas and Judas hanging himself.
The vault and ridges are decorated with a wave ribbon that preserved only in part.
Although the condition does not permit a complete interpretation of the work, the intervention of Pietro da Saluzzo is among the most interesting in his whole production, especially considering the fact that he was not limited solely to the chapel of Santa Croce, as demonstrated by recent renovations in the other chapels.
The artist was known until a few years ago as Maestro del Villar as during the restoration of the chapel of San Giorgio in Villar San Costanzo, in Valle Grana, his identity was revealed through a cartouche containing his real name: Petrus de Salucis.  He worked in our area between 1430-40 and 1480.
Among his best works we recall, San Bernardo in Valgrana, San Sebastiano in Monterosso and the frescoes in the Allemandi chapel in the Shrine of San Magno