Eight Scenes from the Life of Christ (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This diptych (two panels hinged together) depicts eight scenes from the life of Christ in the Byzantine style that dominated much of Venetian art until the 14th century. As here, the style is characterized by the extensive use of flat gold backgrounds, schematic drawing, and lack of convincing movement or perspective. Despite these limitations, this panel straightforwardly and movingly related these major episodes from the life of Christ from left to right across the entire diptych: the Nativity, the Last Supper, the Betrayal of Christ, the Crucifixion, the Deposition, the Lamentation, and the Ascension. The eighth panel at the lower right departs from the narrative of the other sections, presenting the Madonna with Saint Clare and Saint Francis for the viewer’s veneration.
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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