Artwork
Resurrection of Christ
Resurrection of Christ is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Benvenuto Tisi. It dates from 1520 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
The work depicts the risen Christ emerging from a stone sarcophagus, clad in a white robe and holding a bannered staff that signifies his victory over death.
Benvenuto Tisi, known as Il Garofalo, executed this oil painting titled Resurrection of Christ in 1520. The work depicts the risen Christ emerging from a stone sarcophagus, clad in a white robe and holding a bannered staff that signifies his victory over death. He stands centrally, dominating the composition with a serene, elevated posture. Surrounding the tomb in the foreground are soldiers and witnesses reacting with a mixture of awe and alarm; their varied poses and gestures create a dynamic contrast to the stillness of the divine figure. The background extends into a detailed landscape featuring rolling mountains and architectural structures, characteristic of the artist's integration of sacred narrative with the Ferrarese tradition of atmospheric depth. Created during the High Renaissance, this piece reflects Garofalo's mature style, balancing the emotional intensity of the Mannerist transition with the balanced composition of his earlier work. The painting serves as a significant example of religious art from the artist's later career, demonstrating his skill in rendering light, texture, and the psychological states of the figures within a cohesive spatial arrangement.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is the risen Christ, shown emerging from a stone tomb while holding a staff topped with a banner. He is clothed in a white robe, symbolising purity, and is surrounded by a varied assembly of onlookers, including soldiers and civilians, each reacting to the miraculous event.
Technique & Style
Tisi employs chiaroscuro to model forms and create spatial depth, contrasting illuminated figures against a darker background. The composition balances a dramatic foreground populated by richly dressed figures with a distant landscape of mountains and buildings, enhancing the narrative tension.
History & Provenance
Created in 1520, the painting entered the holdings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on display. Its provenance prior to museum acquisition is not extensively documented, but the work has been recognized as a representative example of Tisi’s religious output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Benvenuto Tisi (Italian: ; 1481 – September 6, 1559), also known as Il Garofalo (Italian: ), was a Late-Renaissance-Mannerist Italian painter of the School of Ferrara.
