St. George and the Dragon

"St. George and the Dragon" is a captivating painting by Vittore Carpaccio, a renowned Italian Renaissance artist. This masterpiece is housed in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni in Venice, Italy. It is part of a series of nine paintings commissioned by the Schiavoni guild, each depicting the stories of their patron saints. Carpaccio began this work in 1502 and completed it by 1508.

The painting vividly captures a dramatic episode from St. George's life. It shows him heroically on horseback, driving his lance into the dragon's head, while a princess kneels in prayer nearby. The background is a stark desert landscape scattered with the grim remains of the dragon's victims—severed limbs, skulls, and bones—emphasizing the harsh and perilous setting. The colors are primarily yellow and pale green, but George's armor, the horse's harness, and the princess's dress stand out with vibrant hues.

In the distance, one can see the fantastical city of Silene in Libya. A crowd has gathered on terraces and in pavilions to witness the epic battle. The landscape also features hills topped with castles and a harbor with ships, adding depth and richness to the scene.

In the 1940s, the painting underwent restoration, which altered Carpaccio's original bright colors to more amber tones. Over time, some parts of the painting have detached from the canvas and shown signs of wear and tear. This led to a conservation effort in 2019, funded by Save Venice Inc., to preserve and restore this magnificent artwork.