Christ Falls Beneath the Cross for the First Time, plate three from Stations of the Cross c. 1748 - 1749

Curator: Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created this etching and print around 1748 or 1749. It’s titled "Christ Falls Beneath the Cross for the First Time, plate three from Stations of the Cross," and we're fortunate to have it here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: It strikes me immediately as a work filled with…organized chaos, if that makes any sense? The architecture feels grand, yet the figures are all struggling and pushing, with these thin, almost frantic lines. It's visually unsettling, and appropriately so, given the subject. Curator: Absolutely. Tiepolo's series directly addresses the emotional and spiritual intensity surrounding the Stations of the Cross. You notice the use of line; his mark-making is incredibly expressive, especially for an etching. It lends urgency to the narrative. And it's fascinating how this relates to the proliferation of printed images and their distribution within Venetian society at that time. These weren't just artworks; they were tools for religious instruction and personal reflection. Editor: Right. And there's something about seeing the narrative in this stark black and white, like raw, unfiltered emotion. It almost feels like we are witnessing this event, surrounded by the jeering crowd. What do you make of the architecture depicted here? I mean, its crumbling arch adds another layer, no? Curator: Precisely. It certainly is not incidental. The inclusion of classical architecture provides a specific stage but also subtly highlights the breakdown of Roman power as witnessed through the events of the Passion. It speaks volumes about the impermanence of earthly power when confronted with spiritual authority. Editor: The figure in the ornate hat, staring down, looks menacing! But even more fascinating, for me, is how Tiepolo manages to create such a sense of movement with so few lines. Christ, nearly prostrate, you can almost feel the weight of the cross and the crushing atmosphere. It almost gives me the feeling that history repeats. Curator: Indeed, there is also the repetition in how these images are and were intended for display. Imagine the cumulative emotional impact of witnessing these episodes one after another in the Stations of the Cross. Tiepolo harnessed the accessibility of printmaking for considerable effect, prompting intense responses, as you acutely observed. Editor: Definitely. It leaves you contemplating both the suffering depicted and its endurance over time. Thanks, Tiepolo, I think? Curator: Yes. A heavy work, indeed, and a moving depiction of the human condition, brought to us across centuries through the skillful artistry of Tiepolo.