Christ on the Cross

A small tempera panel showing Christ with outstretched arms and the wounds of the Passion visible on his body, framed by a halo that marks him as a sacred figure. The work is also known as a Pietà, and Christ appears rising from the tomb, a setting that gives the scene a different tone from a conventional crucifixion. The naturalistic handling of the body and the strong chiaroscuro that models the musculature point to a highly skilled painter. A dark background, with the cross placed behind the figure, concentrates attention on the illuminated body.

Dating remains debated. Some place the panel in an early phase of Filippo Lippi, still shaped by Masaccio's influence, while others propose the years 1435 to 1440, based on the refinement of details such as the sarcophagus and the treatment of Christ's hair. Its attribution to Lippi, first proposed in the early twentieth century, helped establish the panel's place in his output after it had once been linked to Masaccio.

Painter

Filippo Lippi

Date

1435

Medium

tempera, panel

Dimensions

22 × 15 cm

Museum

Museo Horne, Florence

Genre

religious art

Depicts

Jesus Christ, Holy Wounds, aureola, man

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