Fra Angelico’s “The Story of St. Nicholas: The Liberation of Three Innocents” is a religious painting from the Early Renaissance period, dating to 1447-1448. Created using tempera on a panel, this artwork is a part of the Perugia Triptych series and is located in the National Gallery of Umbria, Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia, Italy.
The artwork portrays a moment from the life of St. Nicholas, where he intervenes to save three innocent men from execution. In a detailed and vibrant scene set against a backdrop of fortified city walls and serene mountains, St. Nicholas stands at the center, dressed in ecclesiastical garb, energetically grasping a sword from the executioner’s hand, thereby preventing the doom of the three kneeling, blindfolded men. A crowd of elegantly attired onlookers and soldiers in various poses bear witness to the miraculous event, capturing the dramatic tension and divine intervention associated with the revered saint. The scene is rendered with Fra Angelico’s characteristic delicacy and devotion, epitomizing the spiritual and artistic fervor of the Early Renaissance.
