User:H.M.V.05/The Baptism of Christ (Piero della Francesca)

The Baptism of Christ
Artist	Piero della Francesca
Year	c. 1448–60
Medium	Tempera on panel
Dimensions	167 cm × 116 cm (66 in × 46 in)
Location	National Gallery, London

Dating

The Baptism of Christ is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Piero della Francesca. Painted in egg tempera on two panels of poplar wood. The dating of the artwork is controversial; some give it a very early date, perhaps 1439; others much later, around 1460. The reason for the earlier date is because that was the time of unification between the Western and Eastern Churches, and those who argue that it was finished at a later date state that it was dated by the time Piero's journey to Rome ended in 1460. It is held by the National Gallery, London.

Description

Piero painted Christ in the contrapposto pose to show how relaxed he is and how presenting his body bare to the viewers will give them the sense that he is indeed a humble mortal being. The painting presents naturalism and realism as shown through the accurate human proportions, the details in the folds of their clothes, the evergreen environment, and the river that shows realistic reflections of the sky. He is being baptized in the Jordan River by the figure of John the Baptist on the right. This is a way of showing his purity and faithfulness to the Lord. The figures have been painted with soft features and light coloration with hardly any dark contrasts in the painting. He uses soft, light colors to emphasize luminosity and highlight his holiness as shown in the pale complexion in the body of Christ. Behind John is a man in white briefs, his feet already in the water, and seems to be struggling to get out of his undershirt.

Geometry

In the composition of the painting there are some geometric shapes shown. These shapes help bring focus to areas of the painting the artist wants the viewers to look at. The painting's frame is in the shapes of a semicircle sitting on a square and there is a triangular shape at the center of the painting where the hands meet the chest. The hands are pressed together in prayer which gives off the triangular shape if you look carefully. The figure of Christ, John's hand and the bowl, and the bird, form an axis which divides the painting in two symmetrical parts.

Iconography

It is quite obvious that the figure at the center is Christ and the man next to him is John the Baptist. However, what may not be so easily identifiable is the white bird hovering above Christ. Piero painted this bird there intentionally to show the viewers its importance and association with him. This bird is a dove, representing the Holy Spirit, with the shape of its foreshortened wings resembling the clouds in the sky. There are three angels next to the tree who are considered the Holy Trinity as shown with them having colorful wings on their backs, wearing colorful robes, and are observing Christ's baptism as they are holding each other's hands. Their placement on the painting gives visual balance to the figure of John on the right of the painting.

Symbolism

The Italian walnut tree in the painting may represent The Great Tree, or Tree of Life that unites the dualities of earth and heaven. The background illustrations heavily emphasize that theme of earth and heaven through the placement of the horizon line between the terrain and the sky. The little stream in the painting is claimed to be the Jordan River. It's significant because it represents the themes of old and new, past and future, and the road between life and death. The dry, exposed riverbed may be symbolic for droughts, wars, or revolutions. Water as an image of life (birth, growth, and the quenching of thirst) and an image of death (flood and drowning).

The Trinity may symbolize Love, Grace in Faith, and Eternal Life. They may also be references to the theological debate conducted over a period of two years first at Ferrara and then at Florence, between theologians of the two Churches on the doctrine of the Trinity. In clasping hands, the two angels not only symbolize the end of the schism and the restoration of harmony between the two Churches; they also represent the theologically important of conclusions upon which the Council had agreed: the addition to the Credo of the so called "Filioque" clause, which decreed that the Holy Spirit proceeded both from the Father and from the Son.

History

The panel was commissioned presumably some time about 1440 by the Camaldolese Monastery of Sansepolcro in Tuscany, now Sansepolcro Cathedral. Sansepolcro was the town the birthplace of Piero della Francesca. The town depicted in the middle distance in the painting, to Christ's left, may be Sansepolcro. Its dating to Piero della Francesca's early career is evidenced by the strong relationship with the "light painting" of his master, Domenico Veneziano. It was originally part of a triptych, with side panels of St Peter and St Paul and a predella by Matteo di Giovanni dated to the early 1460s, now in the civic art gallery in Sansepolcro. Piero della Francesca was renowned in his times as an authority on perspective and geometry: his attention to the theme is shown by John's arm and leg, which form two angles of the same size. The monastery in Sansepolcro was dissolved in the 1860s, and the painting was bought by the National Gallery in London in 1861.

Historical Context

This whole painting served the purpose of displaying the unification of the Western and Eastern Churches that took place on the banks of Jordan. The Camaldolese monk and theologian, Saint Ambrose Traversari, who had been Prior General of the Camaladolese congregation, had been a strong supporter of the union. Such symbolism is also suggested by the presence, behind the neophyte on the right, of figures dressed in an oriental fashion, usually interpreted as Byzantine dignitaries. Unfortunately, a few years later, harmony was broken between the two Churches by a powerful faction in Constantinople who were extremely opposed the unification.

References

• Zuffi, Stefano (1991). Piero della Francesca. Milan: Mondadori Arte.
• Jimfriedrich. (2019, January 12). Piero della Francesca’s Baptism of Christ. The Religious Imagineer.
• Ellis, R. M. (2016, July 24). The Baptism of Christ by Piero della Francesca | Middle Way Society.
• Ginzburg C. The Enigma of Piero : Piero Della Francesca : The Baptism, the Arezzo Cycle, the Flagellation. Verso; 1985.
• Venturi L. Piero della Francesca : biographical and critical studies. Skira.; 1954.
• Lavin MA, Carter BAR. Piero Della Francesca’s Baptism of Christ. Yale University Press; 1981.

External links

• The Baptism of Christ, Piero della Francesca, National Gallery
• The Baptism of Christ, Piero della Francesca (c.1415–1492), The National Gallery, London, ArtUK
• Piero della Francesca | Baptism of Christ (1460)  | Art in Tuscany | Travel guide for central Italy.
• Page at artonline.it (in Italian)
• Piero wasn't just painting pictures, The Telegraph, 19 August 2011