Invia questo articolo per email Bronzino’s Christ’s Descent into Limbo: Populus, qui sedebat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam
Abstract
In 1552, the Florentine painter and poet Agnolo Bronzino (1503–1572) was commissioned to paint Christ’s Descent into Limbo for the chapel of Giovanni Zanchini in Santa Croce in Florence. The painting draws inspiration from the Scriptures (Gospel of Nicodemus), Italian poets (Boccaccio, Petrarca, and Dante Alighieri), and the theological musician Fra Silvano Razzi. In Christ’s Descent into Limbo, Bronzino skilfully integrated portraits of Old Testament figures, ancient poets, and contemporary Florentine artists. Bronzino’s painting showcases his artistic talent by blending literary and visual components well, resulting in a captivating and profound work of art. Bronzino’s painting reveals his creative talent by masterfully combining literary and visual elements, resulting in beautiful and insightful artwork.
In this essay, I aim to delve into the characters’ identities depicted in the painting by analysing its iconography and comparing it with various sacred and profane texts. The essay comprises two sections: first, an examination of the painting’s iconography, and second, an analysis of the sources from Scripture, poetry, sermons, and religious music used to identify the characters in the painting.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.15162/2240-760X/1871
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