The Crucifixion 16th-17th century

Curator: This print, attributed to Antonio Tempesta, born in 1555, depicts the Crucifixion. What strikes you most about this image? Editor: The sheer density of figures—a chaotic yet formally balanced composition, with those stark white bodies against the dark hatching. Curator: Tempesta was known for his prints, capitalizing on the demand for affordable religious imagery in his time. The printmaking process allowed for mass production and wider distribution. Editor: Absolutely. And the use of line here, creating tone and texture, really emphasizes the drama of the scene—the agony, the grief. Notice how the artist uses the cross to divide the composition. Curator: The material conditions of artmaking—the economic pressures, the accessibility of prints, they profoundly shape not just what is made, but how it's received. Editor: A compelling perspective. It's also interesting to note the formal decisions made by Tempesta to convey a specific emotional and spiritual message. Curator: Indeed, and it allows us to understand its role within the visual culture of the period. Editor: And allows us to appreciate the enduring power of its visual language.