Visual Analysis: Pedro Orrente’s ‘The Crucifixion’
Pedro Orrente’s The Crucifixion is a Spanish painting from the late 16th and early 17th centuries depicting Christ’s crucifixion, according to the placard at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. This painting portrays a dramatic composition of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ with two other men. This depiction is likely inspired by the biblical story told by all of the Gospels that Jesus was crucified alongside these men. The extreme contrast and color palette that adds to the intense emotion of the scene was presumably inspired by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (better known as Caravaggio), the greatest Baroque painter who lived from 1573-1610.
Caravaggio was known for including dramatization, realism, intense emotions, and tenebrism in his paintings, most of which became popular during the turn of the 17th century. Tenebrism, defined as especially intense or strong chiaroscuro, is one of the many components of Caravaggio’s work that is evident in this painting by Orrente. In addition to the elements previously mentioned, Caravaggio also had myriad religious paintings, including one of the crucifixion of Saint Peter. With Caravaggio’s success during the early years of Orrente’s career, there is no doubt that Orrente was a Caravaggisti, or artistic follower of Caravaggio, who was inspired by the dramatics, realism, tenebrism, and subject matter that was so prominent in the work of Caravaggio.
As stated before, The Crucifixion depicts Jesus and two men nailed to crosses. The background of the scene is dark black, another nod to Caravaggio. This creates contrast between this darkness and the brighter colors of the subjects here. This is a great example of tenebrism, specifically in regard to Jesus himself. Jesus, the middle of the three men, has a slightly lighter and more yellow skin tone compared to the other men, who are depicted with a slightly darker and more orange skin tone. Christ’s body stands out amongst everyone else in the scene since he seems to almost glow. This was done intentionally to show the power of God and the light of heaven through Jesus himself.
To the left of the crucified men is another man on a ladder, reaching for a plaque from a younger boy. This plaque, as stated by the High Museum of Art’s placard, is to be placed above Christ’s head in the scene depicted. The boy, whose back is turned, is covered in dirt, even further referencing the realism and grime in Caravaggio’s work. In the bottom right corner, completing the triangular composition, are two women and one man seemingly mourning over the inevitable deaths of the crucified. The woman in the middle could possibly represent Mary, Jesus’s mother. She is wearing blue, a common staple of hers. In addition to this, she is also wearing white which is symbolic of her purity and sinlessness. In Spanish Baroque art, it was common to depict Mary wearing white instead of her traditional blue. This is because of the idea of the Immaculate Conception, which is the Roman Catholic belief that Mary was born sinless. Being a Spanish Baroque painter, Orrente likely incorporated that here, while also bringing in her traditional blue. Using this blue shows his inspiration from Baroque Italian art, and the blend of these is symbolic of the blend of his own creativity and the inspiration gained from the Italian artists. If this is indeed Mary, one could argue that the other two subjects depicted with her are Mary’s sister and husband Joseph.
This painting remains in good condition, a testament to the importance of the work. Works of art that were significant in their purpose were treated with care and handled carefully, ensuring the quality of the painting stayed. Since this is a religious artwork that was kept in good condition, it could have been commissioned for a church or other Christian space. Though no exact canvas dimensions were given, this piece might have been an altarpiece or could have held other importance in the church it was kept in, assuming it was. According to the placard, this is an oil painting that was done on canvas. Oil on canvas was more popular during this period in art history as opposed to tempera paint and panels. Tempera paint was unfavored since it dried quickly and was significantly harder to blend than oil paint. The oil paint used in Orrente’s work gives this piece a smooth, luminous appearance to the overall composition.
Also further enhancing the appearance of the composition is the color palette Orrente used. For the most part, there is a primary color scheme of yellow, red, and blue used here. The subtle yellow of Jesus’s body is the main area where yellow is used. As previously mentioned, this is indicative of the heavenly power within Christ, even upon his death. Reds are used in the clothing of the boy and the man on the ladder. This was likely a symbolic choice. Drawing on the meaning of red to Caravaggio, red is representative of anger, violence, and danger. Because it is used in the clothing of those responsible for the deaths in this composition, this color choice enhances the danger and violence that they bring to both those on the crosses and mourning them, as well as the anger that these two must have felt at Jesus’s claim of being the son of God. Lastly, as stated before, the blue used on Mary’s clothing is representative of her as Jesus’s mother. Throughout the composition, there are various tints and shades of each color, including the pink on Mary’s clothing and the light whites and dark blacks throughout the artwork.
The three areas of importance in this composition create a triangle shape. In any composition, this creates a sense of movement that helps the eyes of the viewers easily roam throughout the piece. This assists in visual appeal and balance. However, there could also be a deeper meaning here. Triangles have three points, and the number three is important in Christian faith. Three represents the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Three also marks the number of days it took Christ to rise again after his death. The use of a triangle composition, while successful from an art perspective regardless, heightens the emotional appeal and religious symbolism of this work of art.
The subjects in this painting are depicted naturalistically with deep emotion etched onto their faces. The dirt and grime that made Caravaggio’s work so innovative is used here by Orrente to show the imperfections of humanity and to depict his subjects as everyday people, regardless of who the subject is. This allows the viewers to relate more to the artwork and feel more connected to it, allowing for a heightened emotional experience. Adding to this are the expressions of the subjects, specifically the men to either side of Christ and the woman below his feet. The men to either side of Jesus appear to be frightened and depressed, respectively. These are natural emotions anyone would feel in this situation, but by depicting this so evidently, Orrente evokes these same feelings of sadness out of the viewers. Jesus, though hanging his head sorrowfully, does not appear to have the same terror on his face. He looks as though he has accepted his fate and is awaiting what is coming to him. The woman directly below Christ is sitting on the ground, supported by the man and woman on either side of her. Her eyes are closed and her facial expression represents the heartbreak she must be feeling. Based on her slouched position with her legs out, one can infer that without the support of the two others, she would have completely given out and laid on the ground. Admirers of this work can almost feel her pain, but also the love and support she is being shown by the man and woman, making the viewing experience so intense and bittersweet. This intensity is also enhanced by the detail in each figure, rendered so naturalistically down to the creases on their foreheads and veins in their hands.
The Crucifixion by Pedro Orrente is a highly emotional painting from 17th century Baroque Spain. Drawing on Orrente’s inspirations from Italian artists such as Caravaggio, Orrente depicts the scene of Christ’s death with intense realism, tenebrism, and emotion. His artistic techniques and stylistic choices highlight the importance of this event, the suffering of Jesus and his followers, and show the viewers the sacrifice Christ made for them in a particularly impactful way.
Citations:
Pedro Orrente, The Crucifixion, c. 1570-1644, oil on canvas, no dimensions listed, the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia.
The High Museum of Art, Museum Label for Pedro Orrente, The Crucifixion, Atlanta, Georgia, 14 February 2025.
This was written for CTXT-122: ‘Visual Culture in Context – Making Modernities’ during the Winter 2025 quarter at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
