Morte di Abele
Lorenzo Lotto·c. 1518
Historical Context
Death of Abel by Lotto depicts the first murder in biblical history, Cain’s slaying of his brother. Lotto’s treatment of this primal act of violence reflects his engagement with the full range of human emotion in biblical narrative, from the tender to the terrible. Tempera on panel suited the precise, layered technique expected by ecclesiastical and private patrons across Europe. Characteristic of Lotto's approach, the work displays nervous energy, psychological intensity, symbolic still-life elements, eclectic regional influences.
Technical Analysis
The violent subject is rendered with dramatic force. Lotto’s bold composition and strong colors convey the physical and moral horror of the fratricidal act.
