Hendrick ter Brugghen’s the Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John is a very moving, and timeless piece of art. Ter Brugghen created this work for an altar piece for a Catholic church around 1625. The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John is believed to be a replacement to another altar piece that was destroyed. His medium of choice is oil on canvas. The emotion in the work is indescribable. There is such an obvious despair and suffering about all three of the subjects portrayed. Jesus is shown on the cross, bleeding out as his mother, Mary, and Saint John look up at him in horror.
The piece is a very different take on the Crucifixion. For starters, it seems as though the scene is set at night time. Most depictions of this subject are in shown in daylight. On the other hand, the work could be viewed with a “darkest just before dawn” point of view. It is arguable that the time could be around dawn, symbolizing hope and the promise of the Resurrection of Jesus. Another very strange, almost offensive element of the painting is the skull and cross bones that are placed on the ground before the Crucifix. This could be symbolic of Jesus’ death, or even the error of the men who crucified Jesus. Whatever the meaning may be, it no doubt adds a much darker tone to the painting. Though there really isn’t a great view of the ground, it looks very arid and dry. Jesus was crucified on a hill top, which gives it the dismal look about it. There are no paths, which gives a feel of hopelessness.
The coloring in the painting tells a story. Jesus, the central focal point of the work is very grey, and the background behind his upper body and head is black, and lifeless. On the contrary, Mary and Saint John are wearing colorful clothing, and have color in their flesh. The sky behind them is lighter. It makes a clear distinction between the living and the dead. There is almost a physical line drawn between the two. The difference between the lighter...