Crucifix
The Met
Artist: Giovanni Antonio da Pesaro(Italian, active Marches 1437–d. 1475)
Date: ca. 1450
Department: Robert Lehman Collection
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Tempera on wood, gold ground
Dimensions: Overall, excluding peg at base, 15 5/8 x 13 7/8 in. (39.7 x 35.2 cm)
Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Christ on an ornate wooden crucifix, surrounded by four haloed figures against a gold background
Detailed Description
The artwork is a painted wooden crucifix, featuring a central figure of Christ on the cross against a gold background. The cross itself has an ornate, shaped outline with quatrefoil extensions at the ends of the arms and the top and bottom of the vertical beam. Christ is depicted with outstretched arms, his body slightly slumped. He wears a green loincloth. Red marks are visible on his hands, feet, and torso. A red halo with a cross motif is behind his head. His head is tilted to his right, and his eyes are closed. Above Christ's head, within a quatrefoil extension, is a half-length figure of an older man with a beard, wearing a red cloak over a dark garment, holding a book or scroll, with his right hand raised. A gold halo is behind his head. On the left arm of the cross, within a quatrefoil, is a half-length figure of a woman, wearing a dark blue or black garment over a red one, with her hands clasped or crossed over her chest. A gold halo is behind her head. On the right arm of the cross, within a quatrefoil, is a half-length figure of a man, wearing a dark garment, with his hands together. A gold halo is behind his head. Below Christ's feet, within a quatrefoil extension, is a half-length figure of a smaller person with a halo, wearing a red garment over a dark one, with hands clasped. The bottom of the cross tapers into a pointed, unpainted wooden spike. The dominant color is the gold leaf background, which shows signs of age and wear. The figures are painted in muted tones of red, blue, green, and flesh tones. The outlines of the cross and the quatrefoils are decorated with small dots and lines.
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