Art Insights for Easter

In the Polish language, the word for Easter is Swięta Wielkanocne--the Holidays of the Great Night. In Andrea Mantegna's painting of the resurrection, there is no mistaking that this IS a great night. All the elements of darkness are reversed. Mantegna's (1431-1506) was an Italian painter known for his sculptural approach to painting. I showed a group of students a picture of Mantegna's Resurrection and they, in turn, made some interesting insights about the painting.

 

 

Mantegna's Ressurection

http://www.artbible.info/art/large/572.html

 

Our class was studying medieval drama, and an important feature of the dramas was the hell-mouth. Usually placed to the audience's right, it was a large, gaping monster that belched smoke and flames. The hell-mouth was home for the demons of the drama, and from time to time they erupted from the mouth to snatch a wicked person and drag him/her to their lair.

 

villains.wikia.com

 

 

What struck us as we looked at Mantegna's painting, was that Mantegna borrows heavily from the image of the hell-mouth to compose his Resurrection. The cave Jesus emerges from has a distinct hell-mouth shape, but instead of having demons dragging Him into the mouth, he strides forth --surrounded by angels.

 

library.calvin.edu

 

His emergence is further heightened by the fact the Christ figure is not cowering like the typical hell-bound person of the dramas. Carved like a Greek hero, he does more than merely emerge from the hell-mouth/tomb. He explodes from it; his influence radiates beyond the mouth. The rays of light and the other elements of the composition are arranged to make sure we understand that this is no quiet stepping out of the tomb. Here is a visitor to hell who has conquered the place and who strides forth confident and triumphant in his conquest, and darkness becomes light. Happy Easter!

Make art inspired by other Christian holidays with these art lessons for kids:

The Stained Glass Window,

The Polish Szopka,

The German Nutcracker

 

In the Polish language, the word for Easter is Swięta Wielkanocne--the Holidays of the Great Night. In Andrea Mantegna's painting of the resurrection, there is no mistaking that this IS a great night. All the elements of darkness are reversed. Mantegna's (1431-1506) was an Italian painter known for his sculptural approach to painting. I showed a group of students a picture of Mantegna's Resurrection and they, in turn, made some interesting insights about the painting.

 

 

Mantegna's Ressurection

http://www.artbible.info/art/large/572.html

 

Our class was studying medieval drama, and an important feature of the dramas was the hell-mouth. Usually placed to the audience's right, it was a large, gaping monster that belched smoke and flames. The hell-mouth was home for the demons of the drama, and from time to time they erupted from the mouth to snatch a wicked person and drag him/her to their lair.

 

villains.wikia.com

 

 

What struck us as we looked at Mantegna's painting, was that Mantegna borrows heavily from the image of the hell-mouth to compose his Resurrection. The cave Jesus emerges from has a distinct hell-mouth shape, but instead of having demons dragging Him into the mouth, he strides forth --surrounded by angels.

 

library.calvin.edu

 

His emergence is further heightened by the fact the Christ figure is not cowering like the typical hell-bound person of the dramas. Carved like a Greek hero, he does more than merely emerge from the hell-mouth/tomb. He explodes from it; his influence radiates beyond the mouth. The rays of light and the other elements of the composition are arranged to make sure we understand that this is no quiet stepping out of the tomb. Here is a visitor to hell who has conquered the place and who strides forth confident and triumphant in his conquest, and darkness becomes light. Happy Easter!

Make art inspired by other Christian holidays with these art lessons for kids:

The Stained Glass Window,

The Polish Szopka,

The German Nutcracker

 

In the Polish language, the word for Easter is Swięta Wielkanocne--the Holidays of the Great Night. In Andrea Mantegna's painting of the resurrection, there is no mistaking that this IS a great night. All the elements of darkness are reversed. Mantegna's (1431-1506) was an Italian painter known for his sculptural approach to painting. I showed a group of students a picture of Mantegna's Resurrection and they, in turn, made some interesting insights about the painting.

 

 

Mantegna's Ressurection

http://www.artbible.info/art/large/572.html

 

Our class was studying medieval drama, and an important feature of the dramas was the hell-mouth. Usually placed to the audience's right, it was a large, gaping monster that belched smoke and flames. The hell-mouth was home for the demons of the drama, and from time to time they erupted from the mouth to snatch a wicked person and drag him/her to their lair.

 

villains.wikia.com

 

 

What struck us as we looked at Mantegna's painting, was that Mantegna borrows heavily from the image of the hell-mouth to compose his Resurrection. The cave Jesus emerges from has a distinct hell-mouth shape, but instead of having demons dragging Him into the mouth, he strides forth --surrounded by angels.

 

library.calvin.edu

 

His emergence is further heightened by the fact the Christ figure is not cowering like the typical hell-bound person of the dramas. Carved like a Greek hero, he does more than merely emerge from the hell-mouth/tomb. He explodes from it; his influence radiates beyond the mouth. The rays of light and the other elements of the composition are arranged to make sure we understand that this is no quiet stepping out of the tomb. Here is a visitor to hell who has conquered the place and who strides forth confident and triumphant in his conquest, and darkness becomes light. Happy Easter!

Make art inspired by other Christian holidays with these art lessons for kids:

The Stained Glass Window,

The Polish Szopka,

The German Nutcracker