The artwork, titled “Calvary, central predella panel from the St. Zeno of Verona altarpiece,” was created by Andrea Mantegna in 1459. Executed in oil on canvas, this Early Renaissance religious painting measures 96 by 76 centimeters and is currently housed in the Louvre, Paris, France.
The artwork depicts a poignant scene of the crucifixion, prominently featuring Christ on the central cross, flanked by two crucified thieves. The dramatic landscape of rocky hills and a distant town provides a vivid backdrop, enhancing the emotional intensity of the scene. Below the crosses, a group of mourners, including the Virgin Mary and Saint John, exhibits a spectrum of sorrow and devotion. The soldiers and onlookers at the foot of the cross illustrate a stark contrast between reverence and indifference. Mantegna’s meticulous attention to detail and his masterful use of perspective and light imbue the artwork with a profound sense of depth and realism, characteristic of the Early Renaissance period.
