Analysis of Cricifixion Paintings

1. To the left of the painting, the apostle Dennis is taking communion from Christ. To the right, he is depicted being decapitated as a martyr, with his two acolytes Rustique and Eleuthère. "The picture was painted for the Chartreuse de Champmol in 1415-1416 by the last representative of the 'Franco-Flemish' school which flourished between 1380 and 1420 at the court of the Dukes of Burgundy at Dijon"(Louvre).The scene is a good representation of the gothic style, and is set on bright gold.

2. "Calvary" by Andrea Mantegna

"At Padua where he was trained, Mantegna made two parallel discoveries: the art of antiquity and perspective as introduced by Donatello and Uccello. Before leaving for the court of Mantua in 1459, he produced his first masterpieces, including the altar-piece for the Church of San Zeno at Verona"(Louvre). The Crucifixion is actually yhe center of a three panel piece that was taken apart in the 19th century (the side panels are in the Musée de Tours). "This tragic and stony vision of Golgotha displays a masterly command of space and a meticulous attention to archeological detail, which were the basis of Mantegna's bold Classicism"(Louvre).

3. "Christ on the Cross, Adored by Donors" by El Greco

"Born in Crete, hence his surname, El Greco moved to Toledo in 1577, bringing with him a visionary language developed in contact with the Mannerists in Italy"(Lourve). This work is one of the finest examples of his artwork. El Greco did many paintings such as these throughout his lifetime. Contemporary with the Burial of the Count of Orgaz (Toledo), it belongs to his grandest period. "His tormented style -thundery sky, elongated and twisted bodies, ecstatic faces- is tempered here by a rigorously symmetrical composition, with an austere colour scheme and a sculptural depth to Christ's body" (Louvre).