Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19


Michael Angeles Crucihxion. Is
there any subject that has furnished so
often theme for artists?" she said.
EVERY incident which makes the
week a memorable one in the church
has been immortalized by the brush OF
an artist. !"
The week, my dear, has a meaning
to every one in Christian land, not
only to milady, who, in her lenten
mourning, violet ladened, goes to
prayers as a perfunctory duty, and to
the serious priest who sacrifices all his
personal comforts and spends the week
on his knees, and to the poor working
fwoman who snatohes moment to say
her beads, but to all thinkers whom
the Christian religion has touched in
any manner, even the disbelievers who
study it from the standpoint of mere
research. The week holds the greatest
tragedy in the life of our Lord Jesus
Christ The week we commemorate
opens with His 'triumphal march into
Jerusalem, then the discovery of the
tribute money Of the Pharisees, then
the Last Supper, "When the even came
he sat down with the twelve" and
then His twelve and appearance before
Poptius PLATE, then the eliminating
point in His life, the crucifixion, "And
they crucified Him and parted His gar
ments, casting lots; that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken of the
prophet, they parted my garments
among them, and upon my yesture did
they cast lots And sitting down they
watched Him there.
And they sat up over His head His
accusation written, This is Jesus, the
King of the Jews
The crucifixion was the inevitable
tragedy of life devoted to great re-
form. 1t has furnished subject for
artists since that day. Art has never
stopped at the impossible. With the
boldness of ignorance it ventures into
tremendous undertakings. And when
the crucitixion made its appearance IN
Art is was soon apparent it could never
be discarded. Aesthetic principles
count for nothing against the voice Of
the people and the crucifixion satisfies
some longing of the human heart.
Artists have painted pictures represent
ing every step Of Christ's movements in
this last week of His life, The Last
Supper furnished many frescos for
/ churches for hundreds of years. The
best known painting of this is the
masterpiece of Leonardo Da Vincis on
the walls, of the convent Of Saint Marie
dele Giraffe in Milan. The picture of
Christ arrayed in the apparel of King
and wearing crown of thorns brought
before Pilate is the subject of one of
the most celebrated pictures known.
behold the man !" said plate, as
Jesus came forth, and these words in
the Latin "Ecee Homo" have been the
- 10. -
that incident. Probably the best
known one is Guido RENTS. Another
celebrated one is the WORK of Flem-
mish artist, Adrian van der VERT.
There is one in the Pennsylvania
Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia,
Z by Benjamin West.
But the crucifxion has attracted
more artists than any other incident In
this solemn week. The earliest that
it is positively known OF it as an art
subject dates from the Consul Of Con-
stantine in 692, when they painted the
was not long before Art SO completely
plunged into unreserve as to PAINT the
dead Christ. The earliest known paint.
ing of the crucifxion is not shown
until the eleventh asntuiy. Up to thai
time there had been the painting Of
the cross and the painting of the two
robbers on their crosses, and the angels
on one side and Mary, the mother Of
Christ, kneeling at the foot of tht
cross, but not the dead Christ. In tn,
thirteenth century a new zeal for thu
subject of the crucifixion was aroused
by the preaching of Saint Francis, ant
ii rose to Ire-eminence as a subject o
Art. The Renaissance period pro
duced in Italy some dignitied and i'm
rressive pictures of the crucifiyion
among which Luni's may be consid
cred the best. There are ciueifixion
in the National Gallery in London b,
Andrea del Castagno, Belinni AMI
Messina. There was no doubt differ
ence in the general tone of feeling be
tween the italian ard German painters
Three of the Renaissance painters
Leonardo, Raphael and Durer, endeay
ored to work out an ideal representa-
q tion of Christ. Raphael in accordance
with his natural character represent
Christ with benign expression eve
in death agony. Ills whole tendenc
was to the ideal of peace and beauty
while the German master, Durer
rortrays anguish as pre-eminent i
the face of Him who bears our sins
For power and patbos no painter eve
exceeded Michael Angelo's ienderin
of the subject. The Saviour is in til
agony of death. The open mouth eS
pressing indescribable suffering as if
has just uttered, ELI, eli lama
sabachthani. The picture is simple
There IRE no thieves nor any sEecta
tors. Only the cross with the trad
tional skull at the foot of it. Ih
crucifixion by Martin Schongauer
one of the best known after Durer {
the German school. The cross is loft
and the figure of the Redeemer is ret
resented as emaciated. His head
crowned with tborns, the face is beau
tiful and peaceful. Under each han
floats an angel with chalice to recei,
the precious blood. At the right {
b the cross is the Virgin and on the le!
Saint John in deep meditation. In til
distance is Jerusalem. This story
told with power and pathos and til
meaning Of the tragedy is indicate
vithSgreat depth. Guido Reni's cruc
fxiou is one of his finest works. Va
Dykes rendition of the subject is &C
mired by many. The awfulness of
appeals to the imagination of ii
Spanish school and the simplicity wit
!. which it is treated by Velasquez ado
to the dignity of the picture.
Passion Week is but minor chor
in the prelude to the great East,
Anthem that ends with the Ascension
In Art we take the shade with Ii
light and Good Friday and Easter Da
are like one of Rembrandts etching
The darkness of Erebus pierced by ra
o. sunlight from heaven. Think of ar