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Christus im Halbfigur

Unknown

1480

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Christus im Halbfigur is a 1480 by Unknown, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1480 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a bearded man with curly hair and a halo, holding a round object in one hand and a staff in the other. Around him are smaller figures—some look like angels—and a mix of symbols like a cross and a book. The background has clouds and what seems like a building or throne. Notice how the light and shadow create a 3D effect on his face and body, even though it’s just a drawing. This trick was a big deal in the Renaissance. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this technique works in other art.