Pietro Negri’s Albero serafico is one of the paintings in the Frari that usually escapes notice, despite its conspicuously large size. This neglect is due not only to its unfavourable, poorly lit position, but also to the fact that it is surrounded by such world-famous masterpieces as Titian’s two altarpieces. The result of this accidental oversight is that the work has been given almost no attention in the art-historical literature, although it deserves more than a rapid glance, not least on account of its unusual iconography. This chapter reconstructs the commission and its sources in the context of the Franciscan tradition of such representations, starting with the Lignum vitae and genealogical trees, with reference to the writings of St Francis. It evaluates both the traditional and innovative aspects of Negri’s work in relation to that of his precursors; prints in particular were the most widely diffused and accessible sources of such iconography. Finally the chapter reconsiders the role of the patron, fra Agostino Maffei, an unusual figure in Franciscan patronage and a member of a Veronese noble family. His careful deployment of his own wealth was almost entirely dedicated to enhancing the glory of the church of the Frari, especially in relation to two important artistic commissions: Pietro Negri’s painting and the Altar of the Cross by the sculptor Juste le Court.
