Artwork
The Risen Christ between St Andrew and Longinus
The Risen Christ between St Andrew and Longinus is a print by the Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1470, this work by Andrea Mantegna belongs to the Italian Renaissance and is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art. Executed as a print, it presents a solemn scene in which the resurrected Christ stands between two figures identified as Saint Andrew and the Roman soldier Longinus. The composition is noted for its stark lighting and sculptural modeling of the figures.
Subject & Meaning
At the center, a nude Christ raises his arms in a gesture of triumph, his serene expression underscored by a halo. To his left, a bearded saint holds a staff and wears simple robes, while on the right a armored figure grips a spear topped with a cross, representing Longinus, the soldier who pierced Christ’s side. The grouping emphasizes the theological contrast between martyrdom and redemption.
Technique & Style
Mantegna employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to carve the three figures from a dark background and give them a three‑dimensional presence.
Mantegna employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to carve the three figures from a dark background and give them a three‑dimensional presence. The lowered horizon line expands the spatial depth, a compositional device he often used to heighten monumentality. The crisp outlines and metallic tonalities reflect his interest in Roman antiquity and his practice of rendering painted forms with a sculptural quality.
History & Provenance
The print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection in the early twentieth century, acquired through a donation from a private collector of Renaissance works. Its attribution to Mantegna has been supported by stylistic analysis linking it to his known oeuvre and by documentary evidence placing its creation in the later phase of his career, shortly before his death in 1506.
Context
Mantegna’s career was shaped by his study of classical archaeology and his familial ties to the Bellini workshop. By the 1470s he was experimenting with perspective and the dramatic use of light, qualities evident in this piece. The work reflects the broader Renaissance interest in combining devotional subjects with a revived interest in antiquity and the visual language of sculpture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea Mantegna (UK: , US: ; Italian: ; c. 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian Renaissance painter, a student of Roman archaeology, and the son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna…
