Resurrection (Cecco del Caravaggio)

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The Resurrection
Francesco Buoneri, called Cecco del Caravaggio - The Resurrection - Google Art Project.jpg
Artist Cecco del Caravaggio
Year1619–20 [1]
MediumOil on canvas [1]
Dimensions339.1 cm× 199.5 cm(133.5 in× 78.5 in) [1]
Location Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, United States

The Resurrection by Cecco del Caravaggio, the Italian Baroque painter, is the only painting known for certain to be his. [1] It was commissioned in 1619 by Piero Guicciardini, the Tuscan ambassador to Rome. Through the use of alternate strong lights and deep shadows the chiaroscuro highlights the vividness of the dramatic scene. One of Cecco's most notable works, the painting is in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. [2]

Cecco del Caravaggio follower of Caravaggio active in Rome

Cecco del Caravaggio, is the notname given to a painter who worked in Rome in the early decades of the 17th century and was an important early follower of Caravaggio (1571–1610). In the past art historians have suggested he may have been a Flemish, French or Spanish Caravaggist but more recently some have identified the artist with Francesco Boneri, although this is not universally accepted. In his work the artist responded in a very individual and original manner to Caravaggio's naturalism.

Baroque cultural movement, starting around 1600

The Baroque is a highly ornate and often extravagant style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th until the mid-18th century. It followed the Renaissance style and preceded the Rococo and Neoclassical styles. It was encouraged by the Catholic Church as a means to counter the simplicity and austerity of Protestant architecture, art and music, though Lutheran Baroque art developed in parts of Europe as well. The Baroque style used contrast, movement, exuberant detail, deep colour, grandeur and surprise to achieve a sense of awe. The style began at the start of the 17th century in Rome, then spread rapidly to France, northern Italy, Spain and Portugal, then to Austria and southern Germany. By the 1730s, it had evolved into an even more flamboyant style, called rocaille or Rococo, which appeared in France and central Europe until the mid to late 18th century.

Grand Duchy of Tuscany former Italian state (1599–1831; 1803–1859)

The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. Tuscany was nominally a state of the Holy Roman Empire until the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797.

Contents

History and description

The painting depicts the moment of the resurrection as described in Gospel of Matthew 28:2:

Matthew 28:2

Matthew 28:2 is the second verse of the twenty-eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This verse is part of the resurrection narrative. Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" were approaching Jesus' tomb after the crucifixion, when an earthquake occurred and an angel appeared.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and,
going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. And his appearance was like lightning,
and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. [3]

The artwork is a large-scale painting intended for private devotion. It was commissioned in 1619 by Piero Guicciardini, the Tuscan ambassador to Rome, for his private chapel in Santa Felicita, Florence. [1] Completed in 1620, the painting was rejected by Guicciardini, and never arrived in Florence (where it was replaced by a mediocre painting by Antonio Tempesta). Later it was acquired instead by Cardinal Francesco Barberini for his collection, who was a discerning patron of the arts. The painting has been described as a "powerful and aesthetically pleasing work of art". [4]

Rome Capital city and comune in Italy

Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy. Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With 2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states.

Santa Felicita, Florence church in Florence

Santa Felicità is a Roman Catholic church in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy, probably the oldest in the city after San Lorenzo. In the 2nd century, Syrian Greek merchants settled in the area south of the Arno and are thought to have brought Christianity to the region. The first church on the site was probably built in the late 4th century or early 5th century and was dedicated to Saint Felicity of Rome. A new church was built in the 11th century and the current church largely dates from 1736–1739, under design by Ferdinando Ruggieri, who turned it into a one nave edifice. The monastery was suppressed under the Napoleonic occupation of 1808–1810.

Antonio Tempesta painter from Florence

Antonio Tempesta, also called il Tempestino, was an Italian painter and engraver, whose art acted as a point of connection between Baroque Rome and the culture of Antwerp.

The painting depicts the resurrection in a complex composition of twisted bodies before a dark background. Christ is floating above the scene kneeling on a cloud, holding a banner in his left hand, while the angel who lifted the tombstone is standing in profile turning his head victoriously towards the viewer. The soldiers who were assigned to guard the tomb are scattered around. The artist's use of strong and clear colours, combined with the softened muted tones of the nuances, creates an overall balance between the variations of shadow and light typical of the Baroque. [1]

Baroque painting

Baroque painting is the painting associated with the Baroque cultural movement. The movement is often identified with Absolutism, the Counter Reformation and Catholic Revival, but the existence of important Baroque art and architecture in non-absolutist and Protestant states throughout Western Europe underscores its widespread popularity.

It has been held by the Art Institute of Chicago since 1934, as part of the Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection.

Art Institute of Chicago art museum and school in Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 and located in Chicago's Grant Park, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 million guests annually. Its collection, stewarded by 11 curatorial departments, is encyclopedic, and includes iconic works such as Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Pablo Picasso's The Old Guitarist, Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, and Grant Wood's American Gothic. Its permanent collection of nearly 300,000 works of art is augmented by more than 30 special exhibitions mounted yearly that illuminate aspects of the collection and present cutting-edge curatorial and scientific research.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Resurrection (Cecco del Caravaggio)". The Art Institute. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "The Resurrection – Cecco del Caravaggio". Google Cultural Institute. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "matthew/28-2". biblehub.com. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Cecco resurrection" (PDF). www.radwin.org. Retrieved 26 March 2015.

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