The Dream of Constantine is a fresco by Piero della Francesca that is part of the cycle The Legend of the True Cross painted in the main chapel of the basilica San Francesco in Arezzo and dating from 1458-1466. It depicts a key episode in the history of Christianity: the conversion of Emperor Constantine after seeing in a dream the sign of Christ before the battle of the Milvian Bridge.
The historical context of the Dream of Constantine
The Dream of Constantine takes place in 312, on the eve of the battle of the Milvian Bridge that opposes Constantine to Maxentius, his rival for the control of the Western Roman Empire. Constantine, who rules over the eastern part of the Empire, marches on Rome with his army to overthrow Maxentius, who proclaimed himself emperor in Rome in 306.
According to several ancient sources, such as Eusebius of Caesarea and Lactantius, Constantine had a vision and a miraculous dream before the battle. He saw in the sky, above the setting sun, a luminous cross bearing the inscription “By this sign you will conquer” (in Greek: ἐν τούτῳ νίκα, in Latin: in hoc signo vinces). Then, during the night, he had a dream in which Christ appeared to him and ordered him to make this sign appear on the shields and standards of his soldiers.
Constantine obeyed this divine injunction and had painted on the shields of his men the chi-rho, a monogram formed by the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek: Χ (chi) and Ρ (rho). The next day, he won a crushing victory over Maxentius, who drowned in the Tiber while trying to flee. Constantine then entered Rome triumphantly and attributed his victory to the intervention of the God of Christians.
This victory marks a turning point in the history of Christianity, as it paves the way for the official recognition of this religion by the Roman Empire. In 313, Constantine promulgated with Licinius, the emperor of the East, the Edict of Milan which granted freedom of worship to all Roman citizens. In 325, he convened the first ecumenical council at Nicaea to define the fundamental dogmas of Christianity. In 330, he transferred his capital to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople, and built several churches.
The representation of the Dream of Constantine
Piero della Francesca chose to represent the moment when Constantine sleeps in his tent and receives in a dream the message from Christ. He placed the scene in a nocturnal landscape illuminated by the moon and stars. In the foreground, we see the imperial tent decorated with an eagle and a dragon, symbols of Roman power. Inside, we can see the peaceful face of Constantine asleep on his bed. Above him, an angelic figure holding a cross descends from heaven to speak to him.
In the background, we see the military camp where soldiers sleep or watch around fires. We notice that some already wear the chi-rho on their shields or helmets. In the background, we can see hills and trees that fade into mist. The sky is dotted with stars and dominated by a large round moon.
Piero della Francesca has created a mysterious and solemn atmosphere that highlights the extraordinary nature of the event. He used cold and dark colors to suggest night and contrast between earthly and heavenly world. He also played on light and shadow effects to create a sense of depth and realism.
The Dream of Constantine is a fresco that testifies to Piero della Francesca’s artistic and religious genius. He combined geometric rigor and linear perspective inherited from Italian Renaissance with poetic and symbolic sensitivity characteristic of his personal style. He also paid tribute to a founding episode of Christianity while expressing his own spiritual vision.
