The Resurrection
| Support Type: | Wall / Plaster |
| Paint Type: | Fresco |
| Current Location: | Museo Civico, Sansepolcro |
| Location History: | The painting was almost lost during the World War II. British officer Tony Clarke was ordered to shell the town of Sansepolcro. He remembered reading that the \"greatest painting in the world\" (Piero’s Resurrection) was inside that town. To save the art, he disobeyed orders and stopped the cannons. The Germans had already left, so the town was saved, the painting survived, and Clarke became a local hero. Today, a street in the town is named after him. |
The Resurrection by Piero della Francesca is one of the most iconic works of the Renaissance, and it's easy to see why. According to the Book of Matthew, Christ said that after his crucifixion, he would rise after three days. Given this information, the Roman authorities placed soldiers around the tomb since they did not want anybody taking Christ’s body and later claiming that he had risen. We are seeing four Roman soldiers placed around the tomb. On one of their shields, we can see the letter S and part of the letter P. This abbreviation stands for ‘Senatus Populusque Romanus’, which means: Senate and People of Rome. As we move further up in the composition, we are facing Christ as the central figure, staring directly at us. The usage of chiaroscuro is visible in the beautiful coral drapery of Christ, adding volume and mass to his body, emphasising the way he put his leg on the tomb. The flag that is held is known as the Banner of the Resurrection. However, the origins of this flag is rooted in the Roman Empire. In Roman tradition, the vexillum was carried by a general returning in victory. In this case, the flag acts as a symbol of victory, not a military one, but representing victory over death.
Loading Interpretations....