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Christ, as Depicted in Elizabethan Art

July 20th, 2011 by admin

During the Elizabethan Era, one of the most dominant art figures depicting Christ was Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Dyck was a Flemish Baroque painter in the early 17th century. Though he rose to notoriety in England by doing court portraiture for King Charles I, his biblical and mythological work showed his true skill as an artist. Following the Baroque style, much of these pieces focused around stories from the Bible and the stations of the cross.

Some of the more well known works include The Arrest of Christ, The Derision of Christ, and Christ on the Cross. In true Baroque fashion, the imagery, though high detailed, was painted with dark tones and elongated figuration. Dyck does pay careful attention in his biblical works to differentiate them from his portraiture work. In his portraits, focus of the face was key. In these works, the opposite occurred. He paid careful attention to ensure that shadows were cast on the faces. This gave focus to the subject matter he conveyed rather than the individual figures within each piece. Dyck did, however, give focus to Jesus by highlighting his face. These pieces are great examples of how greatly Christianity influenced the Elizabethan Era Art.

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