Description
The artwork depicting Jesus Christ was painted by renowned Italian High Renaissance artist Raphael.
Christ Blessing was influenced by Leonardo, one of the great masters during the High Renaissance period. Raphael worked on this painting while in Florence, Italy, a city considered the origin of the Renaissance movement. Since 1851, this painting has been in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo in Brescia.
The painting shows a risen Christ emerging from the tomb. He wears the signs of the Passion and the crown of thorns on his head. His body still bears the marks of the torture he suffered just before his death on a cross.
The artist paints Christ wearing a deep red garment which is significant as it represents the blood he spilled on the torture stake before his death. Similarities have been drawn between the physical characteristics of Raphael and Christ in this painting. Raphael used oil on wood to convey his artwork. By using the oil painting technique, he was able to bring out clarity in form and capture the rich diversity of colors he wanted to use. The theme that stood out in this painting is religious, since the death and resurrection of Jesus is an important event in religion. Therefore, he expresses his faith in Jesus through his painting.