Cecco’s Resurrection of Christ

The Resurrection (c. 1619-1620) Cecco del Caravaggio

This Easter Sunday, we look at one of the BAAC’s favorite depictions of the resurrected Christ.

In room 211 at the @artinstitutechi you will see this massive and powerful painting. The Resurrection” (c. 1619-1620) by Francesco Buoneri aka Cecco del Caravaggio was commissioned for a family chapel in Florence. The painting was rejected by the family and then acquired by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. The painting depicts the moment that Christ rises from the tomb. You can see the angel has moved the stone from the entrance of the tomb and the guards in various states of disbelief and fear. The guard in the forefront was apparently awoken by the angel and started to pull his sword from his sheath but was too overwhelmed and passed out. The angel is pointing to the top left of the painting and that is where the guards are also looking. The top left of the painting is the source of light; you can imagine what the guards are looking at, it may be God Himself. Jesus is also pointing up and to the left as if to remind us that anything is possible through God.

Fun Speculation - There has been much speculation about the relationship between Cecco and Caravaggio, but there are few facts. Cecco may have been a model and student of Caravaggio. It is thought that Cecco served as the model for Caravaggio’s “"Love Conquers All” and one of the John the Baptist paintings. It is even thought that Cecco fled with Caravaggio to Naples after the unfortunate murder of Tomassoni. Whatever their relationship, no one doubts the influence that Caravaggio had on Cecco.