Artwork
The Risen Christ Between Saints Andrew and Longinus
The Risen Christ Between Saints Andrew and Longinus is a print by the Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna. It dates from 1474 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1986.103
- Credit line
- Gift in memory of Mildred Andrews Putnam
About this work
Overview
Created around 1474, this print by Andrea Mantegna presents a compact, shadow‑filled setting in which the resurrected Christ stands centrally, flanked by two attendant figures. The composition is confined to a shallow space, emphasizing the solidity of the forms and the solemnity of the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure represents the risen Christ, identifiable by his halo and raised hands, a gesture of triumph and benediction. To his left, Saint Andrew leans against a tall cross, his loose robe and belt marking his martyrdom. On the right, Saint Longinus, shown in armor with a spear and flag, recalls his role as the Roman centurion who pierced Christ’s side.
Technique & Style
Mantegna employs a stark chiaroscuro that sculpts the bodies with sharp contrasts of light and dark, giving the figures a stone‑like density. The artist’s characteristic lowered horizon and precise spatial geometry create a sense of monumentality within the limited pictorial plane, while the metallic palette reinforces the austere atmosphere.
History & Provenance
The work belongs to Mantegna’s late period, when his interest in Roman antiquity and archaeological detail was at its height. It was produced as a devotional print, likely intended for private contemplation, and has remained in scholarly collections since the Renaissance, illustrating the artist’s enduring influence on Northern Italian printmaking.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea Mantegna (UK: US:; Italian:; c. 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian Renaissance painter, a student of Roman archaeology, and the son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna…
