This tempera painting of Christ's crucifixion is painted on wood by the Florentine painter - Giovanni Cimabue in the thirteenth century. Originally and currently housed in the Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence, Italy; the wooden cross was moved for restoration purposes due to the damage done by the heavy floods of 1966. This massive piece marks the shift from Indo-Byzantine style - a stylized, unnaturalistic, and flat dimensional depiction of subject matter towards the Proto-Renaissance movement - a naturalistic, expressive, and three-dimensional depiction of the subject matter. Cimabue is often regarded as one of the first artists embracing this cultural shift. In this painting, the religious matter of Christ's crucifixion is depicted with intimate details and precision. In the middle we see Christ's dead body. He is standing in an upright manner with his hands outstretched in both his sides. His face has a melancholic yet accepting expression while his head is supported on his right shoulder. Jesus's torso is arched which makes his entire body seemingly extended from the pictorial space. The roundness of his body and the drapery of his white loincloth conveys a sense of depth and naturalism. His wounds ooze out blood while the virgin and John the Evangelist appear to be looking at Christ with agonizing and painful expressions. Both these figures are comparatively dark-skinned than Christ. The latter's immaculate skin represents his purity and divinity. Although the apparent nakedness of Christ in Cimabue's representation marks his suffering and vulnerability. The cross in the background is painted with flat blue color which not only brings Christ's suffering body into the audience's focus but also represents spiritual purity and perhaps the sky. The entire piece is adorned with real gold borders which enhances the deeply moving and imposing impact of the Crucifix. Cimabue through this painting has successfully demonstrated his exemplary artistic skills and insightful story-telling.
Crucifix by Cimabue is a painting with powerful transition from the flat Byzantine style to an elevated realism style and a much more emotional way of representing religious figures. We can see Christ hanging on the cross with sorrow but peaceful expression, an indication of his suffereing as well as his acceptence. His curved, detailed anatomy, and the fluid drapery create a sense of depth. There are the figures of Virgin Mary and John near him who are grieving, adding to the emotional intensity. The blue background is bordered with gold to highlight Christ's divinity, making the painting strinkingly spiritual.
