The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The museum visited was the Metropolitan Museum of Art located in New York City, 1000 fifth avenue. The artwork that was selected is the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ done by artist Pietro Lorenzetti in the 1340s. Pietro is initially of Italian descent and did the artwork in Siena where he was born and died (Stoleriu 163). The painting was done in tempera and gold leaf on a wooden piece. The stylistic period of the painting was in a contemporary form that made the piece appear in modern day design. The materials that were used to create the artwork were gold leaf, gold, metal, wood, tempera and paintings.
Description of the Crucifixion Painting
The Crucifixion painting is a biblical scene that shows how Jesus Christ was crucified and the surrounding scenes of his crucifixion. Since the painting is presented in a gold leaf, the color used to paint is in dark brown and some shades of red that make the audience clearly view the artwork. Jesus Christ is placed in between the two thieves who were also crucified besides him just as it was explained in the Bible. Since the painting is a biblical scene, it evokes a lot of reaction from the audience. Most individuals who view the piece find it inspirational and heartwarming as it clearly shows how much Jesus suffered during his death (Frinta 307). The audience of high religious values view the painting as a symbol of love and selflessness as the Savior sacrificed his life for the salvation of mankind. It also signifies the renewal of life through death. The details in the painting such as the piercing of Jesus's side with a spear, the thieves legs being broken and Mary mother of Jesus crying in the arms of her companions also brings out an emotional response from the viewers.
Purpose and Cultural Context of the Artwork
The purpose of the artwork was to show the audience what happened during Christ's death and the events that took place during that scene. The painter also wanted to derive emotion from his viewers by showing the depth of his suffering during the act. The depiction of blood and anguish on his face and the faces of his mother and other companions at the crucifixion site unveils deep emotions from the viewers. The painting was mainly used by Christians as they related with the scenes. The cultural context of the artwork was also to explain the depth of the Crucifixion to both believers and non-believers. It also managed to reveal how prehistoric painters used different materials to explain a scene and tell stories to their viewers. The cultural context of paintings is a fundamental aspect that was well shown in the painting by the dressing code of the companions of the Virgin Mary in the artwork and other mourners who were witnessing the death of Christ.
My Emotional Response and Future Visits
The artwork managed to capture my emotions as it showed the suffering that Jesus Christ underwent during his death. Apart from how the Bible explains his sufferings, seeing the painting indicated the pain he went through physically. Due to my Christian nature, the artwork by Pietro stood out in the museum. I would definitely love to visit the museum again because of the numerous paintings that it has. I would also like to visit other museums to see how other artists depict historical images and use which tactics to capture their audience.
Works Cited
Frinta, Mojmir S. "Note on the Punched Decoration of Two Early Painted Panels at the Fogg Art Museum: St. Dominic and the Crucifixion." The Art Bulletin 53.3 (1971): 306-309.
Stoleriu, Adrian. "The Theme Of The Crucifixion Of Christ In Visual Arts." SEA-Practical Application of Science 8 (2015): 161-167.
