Crucifixion 1455

Antonello da Messina’s “Crucifixion” from 1455 depicts the death of Christ, along with two thieves crucified alongside him. The painting is notable for its realistic portrayal of the figures, as well as the detailed landscape, which includes a city in the distance and a body of water. The setting is a cemetery, symbolized by a skull and other bones at the foot of the cross. This detail reinforces the theme of death, which is central to the Christian story of the crucifixion. The painting’s intense realism and its use of light and shadow are characteristic of Antonello’s style, which combines elements of Northern European and Italian Renaissance art.