Crucifixion (Antonello da Messina)

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Crucifixion

Antonello da Messina, 1454-1455

Oil on wood, 52.5 × 42.5 cm

Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp

Sibiu Crucifixion

Antonello da Messina, 1454-1455

Oil on wood, × cm

Muzeul National Brukenthal, Sibiu

The Crucifixion is the subject of three different paintings by the Italian Renaissance master Antonello da Messina, completed around 1454-1455 (the first two) and in 1475. They are respectively housed in the Muzeul National Brukenthal, Sibiu (Romania), the Musée Royal de Beaux Arts, Antwerp, Belgium and in National Gallery, London.

[edit] Sibiu Crucifixion

This juvenile works clearly shows the influence of Flemish school on the Italian artist. For a long time it was in fact attributed to an unknown 14th century German painter. In the background is depicted a symbolic view of Messina, probably a connection to Jerusalem asked by the unknown committent, in a typical fashion of the time.

[edit] Antwerp Crucifixion

The painting represents Christ Crucified between two Evildoers, with Maria and John the Evangelist. The work has a typical Flemish school rendering of landscape in the lower part; the well devised spatial disposition of the crosses in the upper one shows instead a full knowledge of the perspective innovation of Italian art of the period. The Italian scholar Roberto Longhi mantained accordingly that the upper part was added several years later.

Crucifixion

Antonello da Messina, 1475

Oil on wood, 42 × 25.5 cm

National Gallery, London

[edit] London Crucifixion

Belonging to a quite later phase than the previous ones, this work is one of the few paintings which are signed and dated by Antonello: 1475/antonellus messaneus/me pinxit. The geometrical composition is divided by the cross and the lake in the background in two part, with the Virgin on the left and St. John on the right.