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The Gospel according to St. Luke begins its account of the Resurrection thus (24: 1-2):

"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."

This painting follows the text in its depiction of the landscape in the background. The women are approaching on the road leading from Jerusalem to Calvary. However, the main characters in the painting, Christ and two angels, are not mentioned in the source text.

The merging of two picture types

Half shrouded in his cerements, the risen Christ displays his five wounds. Joined by two angels supporting him, he appears to be praising the Lord with a hymn of thanksgiving. In other words, Mantegna has created a painting that merges two picture types with its foreground and background.

The background refers to the story related in St. Luke, whereas the image of Christ is a so-called devotional picture, a type of image that condenses a biblical event (here the Passion) into a single intense close-up.

Mantegna's interest in ancient Rome

Mantegna was one of the most prominent artists of 15th century Italy and is known for his interest in the civilisation of ancient Rome. This interest is evident in the porphyry sarcophagus on which Christ and the angels rest.

Details

  • Title: Christ as the Suffering Redeemer
  • Creator: Andrea Mantegna
  • Creator Lifespan: About 1431 Isola di Cartura - 1506 Mantova
  • Creator Nationality: Italian
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Mantova
  • Creator Birth Place: Isola di Cartura
  • Date Created: 1495-1500
  • Værktekst: Om Kristi opstandelse siger Lukasevangeliet (24: 1-2): "Meget tidligt om morgenen den første dag i ugen kom kvinderne til graven med de vellugtende salver, som de havde tilberedt." I maleriet er teksten fulgt i skildringen af baggrundens landskab. Kvinderne kommer gående ad vejen, der fører fra Jerusalem til Golgata. Maleriets hovedpersoner, Kristus og to engle, er derimod ikke beskrevet i det litterære forlæg. Sammensmeltningen af to billedtyper Halvt svøbt i sit ligklæde fremviser den opstandne Kristus sine fem vunder. Sammen med to støttende engle synes han at prise Herren med en lovsang. Mantegna har med andre ord skabt et maleri, hvis forgrund og baggrund er en sammensmeltning af to billedtyper. Baggrunden refererer til Lukasevangeliets fortælling, mens Kristusmotivet er et såkaldt andagtsbillede, en billedtype, som kondenserer et bibelsk hændelsesforløb i et enkelt intenst "close-up", foran hvilket betragteren kunne hengive sig i bøn og meditation. Mantegnas interesse for det antikke Rom Mantegna er som en af de mest fremtrædende kunstnere i det italienske 1400-tal kendt for sin interesse for det antikke Roms civilisation. Det kommer til udtryk i den porfyrsarkofag, som Kristus og englene hviler på.
  • Teknik: Tempera på træ
  • Proveniens: Erhvervet 1763
  • Provenance: Acquired 1763
  • Physical Dimensions: w48 x h78 cm (Without frame)
  • Dansk link: http://www.smk.dk/index.php?id=1122
  • Dansk Titel: Kristus som den lidende frelser
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Statens Museum for Kunst, http://www.smk.dk/en/copyright/creative-commons/
  • Medium: Tempera on panel

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