Dead Christ Supported by Angels 1705 - 1715

Francesco Trevisani painted "Dead Christ Supported by Angels" in oil on canvas sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. At this time, the Catholic Church was a major power in Italy and a major patron of the arts. The image uses visual codes familiar to its contemporary audience. It depicts the dead body of Christ, his body still muscular and idealized even after his death. He is attended by two angels. One is an androgynous boy, gazing sorrowfully at Christ. The other is more mature and looks upward, seemingly towards heaven. The scene is set in darkness, heightening the drama. Trevisani’s painting is an assertion of the power of the Catholic Church, depicting the divine made human and the promise of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. This message would have been deeply resonant in Trevisani’s time. To better understand this artwork, a social historian would research the role of the Catholic Church as an artistic patron in this period. They would look at the ways religious narratives were used to reinforce social and political power. They would consider the social conditions that shaped the creation and reception of this painting.