The+Deposition

The Deposition by: Rogier Van der Weyden

CLARITY: This spiritual theme contains ten people in all, one man being held by other men. He appears to be bleeding from the right side of his chest. The blood is trickling down his body. He has a circle of thorns surrounding his head. All other spectators seem to be solemn and sad. The woman in the blue dress to the left is very pale and is on the ground. A man is trying to catch her. The woman's hand is very close to the bleeding man's hand, which has a hole in the center of it. His foot also has a hole in it. The holly hand (no pun intended) is dangling there. The bleeding man may be unconscious. Above the bleeding man is a bearded man with a small hat on his head. He is holding the majority of the bleeding man. Above that, is a man dressed in white holding the bleeding man's arm gently and softly. The white cloaked man's feet are not visible. One man holding the bleeding man is wearing an elaborate cloak. To the far right, a woman has her head down and might be weeping. All of the people on the right side are looking at the bleeding man, except for the man in the elaborate cloak who is staring at the scull on the left side of the seam. All of the the people on the left side have different gazes.

ACCURACY: This scene is a crucial part of the Christian bible. The bleeding man is Jesus, who is being taken down from the cross where he was crucified. He is about to be carried to a tomb where his dead body will be laid. The fainting woman in blue is Mary, Jesus' mother. Both bodies are in the same position implying that they are both suffering. The skull on the left side of the seam might be John the Baptist's skull because he was beheaded. Three days after Jesus was crucified he rose from the dead which is celebrated in the Christian religion on Easter. John, in the red, was one of Jesus' 12 disciples/ followers and is holding Mary's shoulder. Nicodemus, the man with a direct glare towards the skull, is a saint. The man in white that is holding Jesus' arm and climbing down the ladder in the background is an angel.

PRECISION: This painting is an accurate Bible story that is very significant in Christian beliefs. The clothing accurately represents the time period. This is a concept of the death of Christ.

DEPTH: Rogier Van der Weyden's painting is representing the Deposition of Jesus Christ. Some of the ten people that are surrounding Jesus Christ are either his followers or his disciples. The skull is reminding us that this is taking place on the hill of Golgotha, the Mount of Skulls. The holes on Jesus' hand and feet are where he was nailed to the cross. The slit in his chest is where a Roman stabbed Jesus with his spear. Jesus and Mary are in the same position which signifies that they have a connection. The crown of thorns around Jesus' head was put there by a Roman guard. He was crucified because he called himself "The Son of God", but some people didn't believe him. The crown represents mockery to him and his teachings.