The Descent from the Cross 

Filippino Lippi painted this oil on panel depicting the Descent from the Cross in Florence, Italy, around 1500. The iconography of the deposition would have been familiar to its contemporary audience. The figures in the image, by the way they clutch and struggle, convey the emotional gravity of the moment for the viewer. They invite the viewer to engage with the passion of Christ. But Lippi's patrons, the Arte dei Medici e Speziali, would also have considered the social and political implications of this imagery. In a city as riven with conflict as Florence, the deposition served as a reminder of shared humanity and the need for compassion in a society organized around hierarchy and the pursuit of wealth. Art historians study such paintings in connection to the institutions, beliefs, and social relationships that informed their creation. They examine archival records, religious writings, and cultural histories to understand the complex web of meanings embedded within a single image.