Exploring Christianity Through Art
Art serves many purposes in life, from how you choose to design a space in your home to viewing famous works at a prestigious gallery. Art is intertwined with life. Art can also foster an understanding of historical events, and this is one of the reasons art has been so influential in Christianity. Art can bridge the gap in the understanding of biblical texts, through beautiful imagery in stained glass to frescos that cover massive ceilings the artists behind these works have moved people for millenniums. In my analysis I will be exploring three works of art that each focus on Christianity, "The Creation of Adam" (1511- 1512) by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarotti Simoni (1475 – 1564), "Last Supper" (1495-1498) by Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519), and "Christ Crucified" (1632) by Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660).
Michelangelo’s painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Italy; Sistine Chapel, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
The Creation of Adam (c. 1511) by Michelangelo; Michelangelo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo is arguably one of the most recognizable works of art. It is magnificent and awe inspiring it is featured prominently on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and is admired by thousands of visitors daily. The Creation of Adam depicts the divine relationship between God and man; it is a depiction of The Book of Genesis in which God breathes life into Adam, the first man. The interior of the Sistine Chapel features over 500 works of art depicting a variety of scenes from both the Old Testament and the New Testament as well as scenes from Jesus and Mose's lives. These depictions helped to foster a deeper spiritual connection to the stories of the bible for countless visitors.
When I view The Creation of Adam I am amazed by its magnificence, it is a beautiful representation of the divine connection between God and man. It signifies the interconnectedness of all of life and each living creature. I think it is a moving work of art that regardless of one's religious beliefs can move anyone and empower individuals to appreciate the beauty of the world around them.
The colors featured in the fresco serve to enhance the ethereal nature required for such subject matter. God is draped in an almost pearlescent sheer surrounded by angels. The drapery surrounding them is a combination of various pink and red hues. Adam lays on beautiful shades of blue and green representative of the earth. The shape of the drapery behind God and the angels could be representative of a brain, this could be symbolic of the divine knowledge provided to us through the bible. The Creation of Adam has implied lines showing the angels looking to Adam and Adam looking back.
Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, oil, tempera, fresco, 1495–98 (Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan; photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is another work of art that has been incredibly influential and highly revered. The mural is displayed at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It was commissioned to serve as a way to reflect on the significance of the last supper in the bible for members of the convent as well as visitors. Leonardo da Vinci's depiction of such a pivotal moment in the New Testament showcases his mastery of form. The anatomy of the disciples and Jesus are significant as they highlight the symbolic imagery present within the bible. This mural has helped shape the understanding of a prophetic moment in the Christian faith and is an integral part of the story of Jesus's life.
When looking at Last Supper I am in awe by the detail and symbolism. There are apparent theatrical influences in Leonardo da Vinci's depiction of the last supper. There is plenty of emotion in this depiction compared to other artist's depiction of the last supper. The movement in the mural is a key detail in the response of the disciples after hearing the announcement of the upcoming betrayal.
The colors and shape in the image are brilliant, but unfortunately overtime have faded. The use of shadows and light are integral to Leonardo da Vinci's artwork. The shape of the disciples reflects the movement of the image. Jesus is the focal point of the image with an almost ripple-like effect flowing from his figure to the disciples' response. Jesus is wearing a reddish orange robe which contrasts with the blues his disciples wear. This is another way Leonardo da Vinci focuses the image on Jesus through this Jesus serves as a visual anchor in the center of the mural.
Velázquez, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y, Crucified Christ, 1632, Museo Nacional del Prado
Crucified Christ by Diego Velázquez is visually jarring and shocking. It is displayed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. Originally Diego Velazquez was commissioned for this work by Jerónimo de Villanueva who founded the Convent of San Plácido in Madrid. This depiction of Jesus is raw and visually stunning it doesn't serve to glamorize the crucifixion of Christ but instead showcases the brutality of Jesus Christ being crucified on the cross. It exemplifies the immense pain and suffering Jesus underwent when he was crucified. It showcases the brevity of the sacrifice that Jesus made when he died for our sins on the cross. It serves as a reminder to the viewer of these sacrifices that Jesus made for humanity and helps viewers visualize this sacrifice.
This depiction of Jesus is the most moving to me out of all the works I have featured in my blog. It evokes feelings of both sadness and love. One can only imagine the immense love that Jesus had for the world to sacrifice himself for our sins. This image shows Jesus alone in his time of death so that we may not be alone in our time.
The use of color and space are seamlessly intertwined in Crucified Christ. The black backdrop gives the viewer no escape from the depiction of Jesus being crucified. There is a halo of golden yellow symbolizing a crown around Jesus's head. The lack of a background and the amount of negative space serve to highlight Jesus. The lack of vibrant color makes the red of the blood even more apparent.
References
Alicia du Plessis. ““The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo - the God Touching Adam Fresco.” Artincontext.org, 21 June 2022, artincontext.org/the-creation-of-adam-by-michelangelo/.
Zucker, Steven, and Beth Harris. “Leonardo, Last Supper – Smarthistory.” Smarthistory.org, 9 Aug. 2015, smarthistory.org/leonardo-last-supper/.
“The Crucified Christ - the Collection - Museo Nacional Del Prado.” Www.museodelprado.es, www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-crucified-christ/72cbb57e-f622-4531-9b25-27ff0a9559d7.
I really enjoyed your theme on Christianity in art. It’s timeless but still meaningful, and you did a great job showing how artists use visual storytelling to express faith and emotion. The three works you chose, The Creation of Adam, The Last Supper, and Christ Crucified flow perfectly together, representing creation, unity, and sacrifice. I especially liked your insight about the possible symbolism in Michelangelo’s drapery and the emotional power of Velázquez’s painting. You could also explore how viewer perspective and scale draw people into each scene. I also chose the artwork, The Last Supper and I think it is a really important piece. You did a great job representing that.
ReplyDeleteI think making a theme on how and why art helps people connect to christianity is very cool and how it can teach them is also very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe art works that you've shown were amazing. Everyone was completely different from the other but all relate to the same thing. My favorite was the last supper just because of how much detail there was and how calm yet chaotic it is.
I would say one thing maybe not mentioned was the use of space in the works and where your focus is, like how Velázquez uses a dark background to really spotlight Jesus alone but on the other hand Michelangelo uses a bright scene filled with figures and symbolism.