The Last Supper, the Virgin Mary, and the Crucifixion the Jesus are the most produced religious artworks in history.
The paintings of the Crucifixion became a matter of subject that emerged in Byzantine art after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, during the Middle Ages, and all the way from the Renaissance to the modern era. As a result, Crucifixion paintings are great for seeing the progress of different art movements and how art evolved over the centuries.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most famous Crucifixion paintings in history.
1. Berlin Crucifixion – Giotto
The Berlin Crucifixion is the title of a painting by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337). He was a Gothic artist who was heavily influenced by Byzantine art. The artist lived and worked in Florence, Italy during the late Middle Ages and produced some of the most famous Gothic artworks during this period.
The painting was completed using tempera and gold on a panel and is relatively small. This was a time in art history before oil painting became the standard medium so it significantly differs from Renaissance paintings. His style is sometimes referred to as “Proto-Renaissance” as well. The painting was created in 1320. Its dimension is 58×33 centimeters (23×13 inches).
2. Crucifixion and Last Judgement diptych – Jan van Eyck
Crucifixion and Last Judgement diptych is a diptych painting by Jan van Eyck (1390-1441). Jan van, the Early Netherlandish master is credited as being one of the first painters to master oil painting. This is reflected in the incredible amount of detail he added to his works.
This diptych painting features a scene of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the left and the Last Judgement and a hellscape on the right. It’s a diptych with hinges that can be closed and easily carried along and was most likely commissioned for devotional purposes. It was painted the year between 1430-1440. It has a dimension of 56.5 x 19.7 centimeters (22.25 × 7.75 inches). Now the painting can be seen at METMuseum, New York City, United States.
3. Mond Crucifixion – Raphael
Raphael (1483-1520), the master of the High Renaissance painted the Mond Crucifixion also known as the “Gavari Altarpiece” and is a monumental work of art. It was one of the earliest works of the Italian artist and was completed when he was still a teenager (or in his early twenties).
This work originally consisted of 4 panels of which only 3 have survived over the centuries. The central panel depicts the Crucifixion and was accompanied by a three-panel predella. It was commissioned to decorate a church near Raphael’s hometown of Urbino and it features a landscape that reflects this area. The painting is created during 1502-1503. Its dimension is 283.3 × 167.3 centimeters (111.5 × 65.9 inches). Now this image is kept at the National Gallery in London in the United Kingdom.
4. The Crucifixion of Saint Peter – Michelangelo
The Crucifixion of Saint Peter is a monumental work of art by Michelangelo, the other famous Renaissance master of the 16th century. It decorates a wall at the Cappella Paolina which is part of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.
It was the final fresco that Michelangelo completed in his life, an artist who was mainly a sculptor during his long career. The fresco was deteriorating and completely restored in 2009. Remarkably, a self-portrait by Michelangelo in the top left corner of the work was uncovered during this project. The painting is crafted in 1546-1550. Its dimension is 625 x 662. centimeters (246 × 261 inches). At present, the artwork is kept in Cappella Paolina, Vatican Palace in Vatican City.
5. Crucifixion – Titian
Crucifixion is the title of a painting by Titian (1488-1576). He is one of the greatest Venetian artists in history. It was completed when the Italian artist was already approaching his seventies and was commissioned by a Venetian who lived in Ancona, a city in central Italy.
The painting is about life-sized and features Saint Mary and Saint John who are positioned at the foot of the cross. The kneeling figure has been identified as Saint Dominic. The monumental painting is depicted in 1558. Its dimensions are 371 × 197 centimeters (146 × 78 inches). This famous work of art is still held at a sanctuary of the Church of San Domenico in Ancona today.
6. Crucifixion – Tintoretto
The Crucifixion is a painting by Tintoretto (1518-1594), a man who didn’t shy away from producing monumental works of art. The Venetian Mannerist artist produced serval paintings for the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a fraternity in the city that was established in 1478.
It is one of the most remarkable Crucifixion paintings ever completed considering its entire composition. The artist painted in 1565. Dimensions 536 x 1127 centimeters (211 in × 444 in). It covers an entire wall of the Sala dell’Albergo, one of the many opulent rooms inside this famous landmark in Venice.
7. Crucifixion of Saint Peter – Caravaggio
The Crucifixion of Saint Peter is a painting by Caravaggio (1571-1610) and one of the most famous works in the oeuvre of this renowned Baroque painter. It’s a very characteristic work by Caravaggio and incorporates the Tenenbrism style he perfected magnificently.
It’s one of the 3 large paintings that decorate the Cherisi Chapel at the Santa Maria del Popolo church in Rome. The Conversion of Saint Paul by Caravaggio is accompanied by the much more colorful Assumption of the Virgin Mary by Annibale Carracci. This painting is kept in Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome, Italy.
8. The Elevation of the Cross – Peter Paul Rubens
The Elevation of the Cross is one of the best-known paintings by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish master who lived and worked in Antwerp for most of his career and which is created in 1610-1611. Dimensions are 462 × 341 centimeters (182 × 134 inches). It’s currently housed at the Cathedral of Our Lady, the most prominent building in Antwerp.
It’s one of 3 paintings by Rubens that you can find in the cathedral, the other ones being the Descent from the Cross and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Rubens’ Crucifixion painting is the epitome of the dramatic Baroque style he developed which was heavily influenced by his extended trip to Italy in the early 17th century.
9. The Yellow Christ – Paul Gauguin
The Yellow Christ is a painting by Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), a French artist who only became a professional painter later in life. He completed this work during his stay in Pont-Aven, a small village in the Britany region of France. This had become an art colony in the late 19th century.
Gauguin was inspired by a crucifix in a local chapel which served as the model for this remarkably yellow painting. It depicts Jesus Christ who is Crucified in a Breton landscape with Breton women mourning and praying beside him. Dimension of the image 91.1 × 73.4 centimeters (35.9 × 28.9 inches). The yellow color was symbolic of the harsh life of peasants at the time in this part of France. The work of art is created in 1889. The work can be cited at Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo in the United States.
10. White Crucifixion – Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall (1887-1985), a Russian artist who spent most of his career living and working in France painted the White Crucifixion. It’s a painting that emphasizes both the suffering of Jesus Christ and of the Jewish people shortly before the outbreak of World War II. The year created this image is 1938.
Chagall managed to use the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a symbol for the acts of violence committed against the Jews. The artist was inspired to paint this work after a trip to Europe from his native Belarus, a country that was part of the Russian Empire at the time.