Golgotha (copy after Veronese) 

Henri Fantin-Latour painted this oil on canvas work, Golgotha, a copy after Veronese, sometime in the 19th century. The painting presents a somber scene dominated by a palette of yellows, greens, and browns. The composition is roughly divided, with the upper portion showing the sky and crosses. These elements are rendered with gestural brushstrokes that imbue the scene with a sense of tumultuous emotion. Figures are present at the foot of the cross in the lower part of the painting, although their forms are not clearly delineated. Fantin-Latour’s emphasis on color and brushstroke reflects the growing interest in the formal elements of painting. The loose handling of paint and the focus on color create an image that conveys a feeling of melancholy and loss. The artist’s attention to the materiality of paint and the interplay of color destabilizes traditional representations of religious scenes, inviting viewers to contemplate the emotional and sensory dimensions of the subject matter. The artwork exists as a site for personal and cultural interpretation.