Resurrection

In 1457, the San Zeno Altarpiece was installed in the Basilica of San Zeno, commissioned by Abbot Gregorio Correr. Andrea Mantegna's painting, Resurrection, formed part of its predella or platform.

Today, this work is on display in the Musee des Beaux-Arts in Tours, France. Until the early 1500's, the majority of religious works were painted tempera on wood. Mantegna used these typical materials in Resurrection, the original of which measures 70 x 92 cm. What is significant is the number of techniques used by Mantegna that point towards the High Renaissance, which reached its zenith in the middle of the sixteenth century.

The Resurrection is based in the temporal world, rather than the Heaven imagined by so many medieval artists. The blue skies, the robust rock and the fragile trees and plants, all demonstrate this. However, the gold leaf of Christ's halo, the rays of light and the garland of red and white seraphs that surround Him all indicate that the spiritual world is not far away. In the painting, the almost triangular arrangement of the subjects, Christ and the tomb in the centre, with the Roman soldiers in the foreground, typify a stylistic development of the Renaissance. One example is Raphael de Sanzio's painting, The Marriage of the Virgin, (1504).

The grid pattern of the rocky ground in front of the tomb indicate the artist's awareness of another Renaissance development, perspective. The figure of Christ stands erect, holding a crucifix wrapped about with the red and white flag of the Crusades. Colour here is significant; medieval artists, such as Giotto di Bondone (1267-1367) worked in bright colours. But aside from the significant touches of red, and the yellows in the foreground, Mantegna has executed Resurrection in subtle tones, the gentle blues and greens of the sky and foliage, and the earthen tones of the rock.

During his life, Mantegna gained a reputation for works in tones so subtle that many of his images look like sculptural reliefs, rather than executions in paint. In Resurrection, the viewer can see this quality in the frieze that Christ balances upon. Above all, the emotions registered on the faces of the Roman soldiers show the mastery of painting by this artist of the early Renaissance. See also Piero della Francesca's Resurrection.