A British Army officer defied orders during World War II to spare a small Tuscan town — and, in doing so, saved what has been described as “the best picture in the world.”
The fresco, The Resurrection by Renaissance master Piero della Francesca, was nearly destroyed in 1944 as Allied forces advanced through Italy. Thanks to the cultural sensitivity and defiance of Captain Anthony Clarke, the masterpiece remains intact in the town of Sansepolcro.
Painted in the 1460s, The Resurrection depicts Christ rising triumphantly from the tomb while four soldiers sleep at its base. The fresco adorns the wall of Sansepolcro’s town council chamber and has long been revered as a symbol of accountability and redemption.
Aldous Huxley, the renowned author, famously called it “the best picture in the world” in his essay The Greatest Picture. His praise played a pivotal role decades later, influencing Clarke’s decision to defy direct military orders.
As Allied troops pushed northward through Italy, they routinely used artillery fire to dislodge German forces occupying towns. In Sansepolcro, however, Clarke hesitated. Positioned on higher ground overlooking the town, he recalled Huxley’s description of The Resurrection and questioned whether its destruction could be justified.
Despite orders to open fire, Clarke instructed his men to hold back and approach the town on foot. His gamble paid off: Sansepolcro was undefended, and the fresco — along with countless civilian lives — was spared.
The Resurrection captures Christ rising with serene authority, while the soldiers below lie in various states of slumber. One soldier, dressed in brown with dishevelled hair, is believed to be a self-portrait of the artist, Piero della Francesca.
Despite Piero’s renowned expertise as a mathematician and painter, the fresco contains an anomaly: the soldiers’ legs don’t quite add up. This quirk, however, does little to detract from the piece’s grandeur or its enduring reputation.
Clarke’s decision not to fire on Sansepolcro has since been lauded as an extraordinary act of preservation. Today, The Resurrection remains the centrepiece of the Museo Civico in Sansepolcro, drawing art enthusiasts from around the world.
The story of how it survived offers a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural heritage, even in the midst of war. Without Clarke’s defiance, a masterpiece hailed by Huxley and revered for generations could have been lost forever.
A spokesperson for the Museo Civico reflected on the fresco’s near-destruction: “The Resurrection is not just a painting. It symbolises the resilience of culture, and we owe its survival to the courage of one man who understood its value.”
Clarke’s bold action has since entered military and cultural lore as a shining example of how art can inspire bravery, even on the battlefield.
