Schindlers List Essay, Research Paper

Visual Arts Essay

Compare the artworks “Chritus Triumphans” and “Chritus Patiens.” What are the variations and why is there differences between the way Jesus has been potrayed.

The two artworks Chritus Triumphus and Christus Patiens are two very interesting artworks as they are both representing Jesus, the Messiah in a totally different way. Throughout my essay I will compare the way each artist has tried to portray Jesus and I will also refer to why there is such a difference in their artwork.

The attitudes of each painting are no doubt very different. One painting depicts Jesus as being very triumphant and victorious where as the other reveals Jesus as a being who is indeed experiencing suffering. In the painting Christus Triumphans the name of the artwork itself reflects that Jesus is appearing very triumphant. In this particular painting Jesus has been revealed as a person who is very happy, we can see this from the way the artist has made Jesus head facing up to the kingdom of God and Jesus looks extremely peaceful. However in the Christus Patiens artwork we can see that Jesus character has changed, in this artwork Jesus looks like he is suffering, his eyes are closed and he has his head down as if he is disappointed. These two paintings show how the character of Jesus was portrayed differently during the different periods in which the artworks were painted. IN the Christus Triumphus painting the artist tries to express feelings of joy and peace, Jesus is shown to be very happy and we can relate to this feeling because the painting shows holy people around Jesus like his mother Mary, The apostles, angels and saints. The painting reveals that Jesus is in peace because he knows that he is dying for the good of all people, he is happy because he is dying for good and holy people. In this painting Jesus does not show signs of suffering or dismay, however in the other painting Jesus does not look at ease because he is not very happy for the bad people he is going to die for. This painting shoes the stages of suffering that Jesus experienced before he died on the cross, and he is sad for all the evil which has been present in society. I think that the artist in this painting is trying to make us empathise with Jesus and really make us respond in a compassionate way to the suffering of Jesus.

The artworks Christus Triumphans and Christus Patiens really express how they are different by the time and movement in which they were produced in. The Christus Trimphus painting was painted in the 12th century, which was during the Byzantine period, and this really helps when analysing why the painter has decided to paint it they way it is. During this period in time religious images were created to build up the mysterious nature of God or Jesus. Christ was represented as triumphant, all powerful and dauntless, and this can be clearly seen through the artwork Christus Triumphus . This particular type of period in time was when all most artists used a lot of symbolism to express the mood of the painting, and artists developed their own conventions to represent their subjects. This Byzantine convention was a great breakthrough for artists as it gave them a real sense of worth for what they were painting. Some conventions include: Mary represented with child, Gold background, Faces with heart shaped, large round eyes, small mouths, important figures often shown larger with more of an emphasis, and little emotion. The depth and meaning of artwork became very important and the conventions can be seen when comparing artworks of different time periods.

On the other hand the Christus Patiens artwork was painted during the renaissance period, which involved some realistic form in the meaning behind it. This particular time period was very important in the history of mankind, but more important for artists of that time, most paintings in this period were changed to Byzantine paintings and then to more realistic paintings. This particular painting was painted nearly the same way as though one would during the Byzantine period but this painting shows a lot more suffering in that the painting showed that Jesus being nailed to the cross was indeed a painful experience for Jesus.

In conclusion both artworks are very moving in that one shows happiness and the other shows pain and suffering, however the artworks identify the way artists expressed their feeling during different periods of movements. We are also able to point out the moods, feelings, and emotions of each painting and we can see how paintings change in the way that people feel and think. Artists will indeed always find new ways in which to express the ideas and feelings and these two artworks are classic examples of how artists reflected what they felt and tried to express.