Christ between Four Angels
Vittore Carpaccio·1496
Historical Context
Carpaccio's Christ between Four Angels from 1496, now in Udine, depicts the resurrected or glorified Christ surrounded by musical angels in the type of devotional image that celebrated Christ's divine majesty through heavenly music. The work was painted during Carpaccio's most productive decade, when he was simultaneously completing the Saint Ursula cycle for the Scuola di Sant'Orsola and taking on other commissions throughout Venice and the Veneto. His angels are given the characteristic Venetian warmth and specific individuality that distinguished his figure painting from more abstract approaches to the heavenly host.
Technical Analysis
Carpaccio renders the scene with his characteristic clarity of drawing and rich color, combining narrative specificity in the angels' expressions with the devotional stillness required of this contemplative subject.
