Christ Walking on the Water

work by Giotto

Also known as: “Navicella”

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June 24, 2026

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The Christ Walking on the Water (also known as the Navicella) is a mosaic attributed to the renowned 14th-century Italian painter Giotto di Bondone. Created during Giotto's Roman period, it was commissioned by Cardinal Stefaneschi for the entrance of Old St. Peter's Basilica.12

While the original mosaic is now lost, having been significantly altered in the 17th century, its composition is known through copies. The artwork depicts the biblical event where Jesus walks on water towards his disciples in a boat. Despite the loss of the original work, Giotto's innovative approach to naturalism and emotional depth in his other frescoes, such as those in the Arena Chapel, revolutionized painting and paved the way for the Renaissance.13

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Giotto
Roman period of Giotto
…are the great mosaic of Christ Walking on the Water (the Navicella), over the entrance to St. Peter’s; the altarpiece painted for Cardinal Stefaneschi; and the fresco fragment of Boniface VIII Proclaiming the Jubilee, in San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran). Giotto is also known to have painted some…
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…are the great mosaic of Christ Walking on the Water (the Navicella), over the entrance to St. Peter’s; the altarpiece painted for Cardinal Stefaneschi; and the fresco fragment of Boniface VIII Proclaiming the Jubilee, in San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran). Giotto is also known to have painted some…
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