1562
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Resurrection of Christ is a 1562 by Philip Galle, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see Christ floating above an open tomb while three soldiers sleep at his feet. This print was made just as the Protestant Reformation was splitting Europe. The artist worked for both Catholic and Protestant patrons, so he kept the scene simple—no extra saints or angels that might offend either side. To see how other artists handled the same moment, look up *chiaroscuro*.
After Christ's crucifixion and burial, he rose from his tomb to dwell on earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven. According to the Gospel account of Matthew, as depicted here, the soldiers guarding the tomb fell asleep and the tomb opened miraculously. Christ appears above, triumphant. For Christians, the resurrection of Christ is essential for the doctrine of salvation and the hope of deliverance from the power and effect of sin. The promise of salvation, of a new day, is symbolized by the rising sun, to which Christ points, and Christ's halo, which resembles a sun. Galle's engraving is…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings.
See the richer artist page
