Sangeetha Kavety Professor Saskia Eubanks WR 100 FD 17 October 2010 Beautiful and Sublime Christ !

Edmund Burkeʼs concepts of the sublime and beautiful are reflected wonderfully

in two pieces of religious art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Christ Delivering the Keys to Saint Peter by Vincenzo Catero and an unnamed relief depicting the death of Christ by Giovanni Minelli. The painting by Catero is an oil on canvas artwork representing, in Burkeʼs terms, the beautiful. The relief by Minelli is sublime in Burkeʼs terms. Both, however, are very expressive and meaningful to the viewer. !

Cateroʼs painting depicts Christ in a righteous manner, giving keys to Saint Peter

presumably from a scene from the Bible. There is not much trace of pain, and if so, it is more of an alleviation of pain instead of a painful event itself. The scene seems to depict positive emotions, with a background consisting of blue skies and peaceful clouds. This painting isnʼt too expansive, which Burke would argue as a characteristic of a painting that is not sublime. The painting is also clearly drawn and well lit, and there is no obscuring darkness, typical of sublime art. This painting overall portrays a sense of happiness and prosperity, with little indication of any negative emotions. It is a very inspirational and calming piece. !

In comparison, Minelliʼs relief is full of sadness. It shows Christ dead or dying and

two figures mourning or attempting to save him. There is a young woman praying, probably a maiden, standing off to the side as a representation of a sense of hope in

response to the not so pleasant scene. She has a calm expression, yet still somber. Though most of the colors have faded off what appears to be a wood medium, it appears to have been painted with darker colors. It appears cold and subdued, and its vastness contributes to its sublime nature. There is a clear expression of pain emanating from the work, which is a main characteristic of sublime art. It instills a feeling of pain to which the viewer can relate. !

Both of these works are religious in nature, depicting Christ, but in very different

ways. One shows a more sublime view, while the other shows a more beautiful aspect of Christ. Both of them move the viewer with the emotion portrayed, making them valid pieces of good art. I disagree with Burke, however, because I do not feel that Minelliʼs relief has any more value than the Catero painting, as both of them are very effective in portraying the emotions that they were meant to portray. The Catero painting was meant to be peaceful, as the Minelli was meant to be remorseful. The difference in manner is the only thing separating the two works, but neither is more effect than the other.