De opstanding van Christus c. 1656 - 1707

Giacinto Calandrucci made this red chalk drawing, titled "The Resurrection of Christ," in Italy in the late 17th or early 18th century. It depicts the moment when Jesus rises from his tomb, surrounded by angels, while the guards below are thrown into disarray. Calandrucci lived and worked in Rome. Religious institutions were the lifeblood of artists like him. The Vatican and other churches were major patrons of the arts, commissioning works to inspire faith and reinforce their authority. Calandrucci’s drawing, with its dramatic composition and emphasis on the miraculous, reflects this context. It uses the visual language of the church to convey its message. The figures are idealized, the scene is theatrical, and the overall effect is intended to evoke awe and wonder in the viewer. To truly understand this drawing, we can dig into the history of the Catholic Church, and the art that it commissioned. This can help us understand how artists used their work to negotiate the complex social and religious environment of their time. Art history is more than just the study of beautiful objects. It's a way to understand the past and the forces that have shaped our world.