Descent

By Phaidon Press

Book Overview

The Descent from the Cross, or Deposition, is the last act in the human drama of Christ's mission on earth, in which Joseph of Arimathea obtains Pontius Pilate's permission to take Christ's body down from the Cross and bury it. The pathos of this particular scene has captured the imagination of artists from every age, and this book presents a chronological sequence of over 100 versions of the event selected from masterpieces of all periods by the greatest artists. Like its companion volumes, Descent presents an extended meditation on a single theme that has many facets: the universal human tragedy of loss, grief and the shattering of all hope on the one hand; and the promise, as yet unknown to the participants, of renewed hope and eternal life on the other. This complex web of emotions has inspired a rich heritage of interpretation, and the images presented here form a deeply moving and ever-evolving study of grief and resignation; of human and divine drama; of individual physiognomy and character; and of ultimate hope and salvation. The concentration on a single theme opens up an intense and heightened awareness of the intricacy of human emotion and the magnitude of the artist's expressive resources. Each respective image reveals a new insight, as the profoundest mysteries of religion, human experience and artistic creation are explored here in a concentrated form. Like its companion volumes Annunciation , Crucifixion and Last Supper, Descentpresents a focused meditation on a single theme that is infinitely rich, allowing the viewer to appreciate the nuances of character and the endless skill with which artists have created new masterpieces out of old materials. Whether one focuses on the religious mystery, the human drama or the marvellous skill of the artist, these uncluttered and simply presented works of art provide endless food for thought and contemplation.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0714839426
• ISBN13: 9780714839424
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Phaidon Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 6.4"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

The details of His death begin, the corpse must come down.

This collection has four books (Annunciation, Last Supper, Crucifixion, Descent) which will be a treasure to all those who love great art, and especially those attracted to religious art. Each book is beautifully bound in its own brilliant metallic color: gold, silver, bronze and copper. The unique size and color of the books make this set aesthetically pleasing. It is a wonderful collection to display on any shelf. The prints, more than 100 in each book, are of superb quality. Phaidon, the publisher, is recognized for excellence and elegance in all their printing. There is scant text; each book has a New Testament scriptural preface, then a brief caption accompanies each image.As the titles project, a central event in Christ's life is elucidated by the world's best artistic Masters; each brings their own commentary to the selected Christological theme. Most enjoyable, and educational, is the progression through time, starting with early art pieces and finishing with contemporary masters. From beginning to end, each book is a wonderful journey through time. "Descent" dramatizes the removal of Christ's corpse from the cross. Hope has ended in despair and the darkest hour now was upon those waiting at the foot of the cross: Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, Mary - mother of Jesus, and John the Beloved. The details of His death begin. The corpse must come down, and along with the dreams of His followers, be buried. No angels, no auras of light, no evidence of divine intervention is found in these 100 plus images. Rather, each artist throughout the ages illuminates the nightmarish reality of the demise of Christ. When you view `Descent' you will notice that there is a period of history, starting around the Renaissance to the end of the 17th Century, when the Masters grasped this moment and prolifically paint the removal of Christ from the cross. Outstanding paintings from the time of Sodoma (c.1505) through Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet (c.1697) fill the largest portion of this book. Having gone through these four volumes it is my hope that Phaidon will continue this collection. To stop now and not give us the burial, resurrection and the ascension would be a great disappointment. This is a collection that I will treasure. The quality of binding, paper, color reproduction and selection of prints is superb. Highly recommended.