Paul Veronese, The Crucifixion, at the Accademia Galleries in Venice, Italy

Paul Veronese (1528–1588) “Crucifixion”

Painting – Oil on canvas (287 x 447 cm) 1582

This “Crucifixion” by Paolo Veronese was painted for the church of San Nicolò della Lattuga.

Paul Veronese, The Crucifixion, at the Accademia Galleries in Venice, Italy

Veronese, The Crucifixion This church was deconsecrated in 1806, and the painting was rolled up and placed in storage before arriving in 1832 at the Accademia Gallery in Venice, where it was not unrolled and restored until 1852.

This Crucifixion by Veronese stands out from other works on this theme due to the position, right at the far left, of the three crosses at the top of Mount Golgotha.

The surrounding landscape occupies a large part of the scene, beneath the ramparts of Jerusalem, which stretch across half the length of the painting, directly opposite the three crucified figures.

Veronese uses light and shadow to convey the tragic moment when Christ dies on the cross: it was midday, and the sky was covered in darkness.

Veronese, The Crucifixion Christ with Mary Magdalene at his feet, as well as the Virgin Mary, who has fainted into John’s arms, and the group of women seated on the right behind the horsemen, are the only people to receive the divine light, whilst all the others are seized by panic as they are plunged into darkness.

Christ’s light descends diagonally towards the women seated on the right in front of the horse, which rears up to throw its rider whose breastplate is as black as his guilty soul; this beautiful animal occupies a large part of the space, as much as the crosses on Mount Golgotha.

The soldier riding the horse is half-hidden, along with the pagan world which is about to fall with him.

The entire lower left-hand section of the painting is one of confusion and turmoil.

Still at the bottom right, the resurrection of the dead is suggested by this man emerging from his grave.

Veronese, The Crucifixion