Religious Renaissance artists chose to present Jesus Christ on the cross in a more natural, human form that had been seen before in art of the middle ages. The crucifixion represents Christ's suffering and his gift to fellow man, which are hard to marry together. Some see Christianity as a slightly depressing or negative set of religions due to the well-known depictions of Christ, but if truth be known they symbolise as much good as anything.
This crucial point in Christian faith is rightly matched by countless creations from famous artists around the world, each adding their own thoughts and styles to the iconic picture of Jesus Christ on the cross. As with the baptism of Christ, the crucifixion, god and virgin Mary and child, the crucifixion retains it's status as an ideal subject for religious artists of any era. The heavy weight of religion in Renaissance art makes artists of this time ideal for study.
El Greco is a very famous religious artist who created Crucifixion from 1584-1594. His work, and similarly in one of Tintoretto, underline the violence and drama of the occasion. In contrast, Perugino used a very calming setting for his oil painting in 1496. Grunewald uses a more depressing approach with an attention to Christ's pain set against a dark background. Michelangelo also leant his own characteristics to this subject in his 1550-55 work. There is plenty of choice open to art enthusiasts depending on whether one wishes to celebrate the life and achievement of Christ, or dwell on the pain which he suffered.
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