Artwork
Resurrection of Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Paolo Veronese. It dates from 1572 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
About this work
Overview
The composition places the risen figure centrally, elevated against a luminous sky, while a group of onlookers gathers below, reacting with astonishment.
Paolo Veronese’s *Resurrection of Jesus*, executed in oil in 1572, presents the biblical moment of Christ’s rising from the tomb. The composition places the risen figure centrally, elevated against a luminous sky, while a group of onlookers gathers below, reacting with astonishment. The work is part of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister’s holdings, illustrating Veronese’s engagement with large‑scale religious narratives during the late sixteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Christian miracle of resurrection: Jesus, draped in a pink garment, extends his arms upward, signifying triumph over death. Below, soldiers and mourners surround the empty tomb, their gestures ranging from shock to reverent awe, emphasizing the transformative impact of the event on both the divine and human realms.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on canvas, Veronese employs a balanced palette of warm pinks and cool blues, creating a vivid contrast between the celestial light and the earthly figures. The composition reflects Mannerist tendencies—elongated poses, complex spatial arrangements, and a heightened sense of drama—while retaining the luminous colorism characteristic of Venetian painting.
History & Provenance
Created in 1572, the work belongs to Veronese’s mature period, when he was a leading figure alongside Titian and Tintoretto in Venice’s artistic scene. It entered the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister collection, where it remains displayed, offering insight into the painter’s religious output and the broader currents of late Renaissance art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paolo Caliari (1528 – 19 April 1588), known as Paolo Veronese ( VERR-ə-NAY-zay, -zee, US also -see; Italian: ), was an Italian Renaissance painter based in Venice, known for extremely large history paintings of…
