Crucifixion with the Virgin and St. John the Baptist, St. Mary Magdalen, St. John the Evangelist and St. Augustine

Ortolano (Giovanni Battista Benvenuti)

Download hi-res image TITLE Crucifixion with the Virgin and St. John the Baptist, St. Mary Magdalen, St. John the Evangelist and St. Augustine
AUTHOR Ortolano (Giovanni Battista Benvenuti)
DATE 1517
OBJECT TYPE AND MATERIAL Oil on panel
DIMENSIONS cm 258 x 176
INVENTORY 6024
ROOM XXI
Work on display

This picture, from the monastery of Sant’Agostino in Ferrara, invites the observer to meditate. The iconography, with angels collecting the blood of Christ, is archaic, and even the great model of Raphael’s work is interpreted as a quest for simplicity. The intense palette accompanied by a sharp rendering of light and shade causes the figures to stand out against the luminous sky. Their eloquent yet stiff gestures almost make us feel as though we are looking at a still from a film.