. English: This is a frontispiece to the Uta Codex evangeliary. Jesus on the Cross occupies the top of the design. Eight other images present the Christian significance of the Crucifixion: the triumph of life over death. Below the Crucifixion are personifications of Life (Vita) on the right-hand side of Jesus and Death (Mors) on the other side. A crowned Life looks up to a crowned Jesus, who returns the gaze. Life's orant posture also echoes that of Christ. Death is bent, falling away from God, his face shrouded and his spear broken. He is attacked by a branch sprouting from the Cross, suggest
. English: This is a frontispiece to the Uta Codex evangeliary. Jesus on the Cross occupies the top of the design. Eight other images present the Christian significance of the Crucifixion: the triumph of life over death. Below the Crucifixion are personifications of Life (Vita) on the right-hand side of Jesus and Death (Mors) on the other side. A crowned Life looks up to a crowned Jesus, who returns the gaze. Life's orant posture also echoes that of Christ. Death is bent, falling away from God, his face shrouded and his spear broken. He is attacked by a branch sprouting from the Cross, suggesting the Tree of Life. In the left-hand semicircle is Ecclesia, also crowned with raised hand and facing the Cross, while the right-hand semicircle shows Synagoga, with a scroll (the Law) and knife (of circumcision), turned away from God and blinded by the border. The corner images are events connected with the Crucifixion: The upper-left has a personification of the sun (Sol), while the upper-right shows the moon (Luna). The lower-left shows resurrected saints, (who echo Life's posture), while in the lower-right the Temple veil is torn. Their significance is explained by the surrounding text: The Sun of Justice suffers on the cross; the Church mourns the death of Christ; Gentiles converted through faith began to live; the darkness of the Law was removed. As with the other elements of the schematic composition, the new life made possible by the Crucifixion is on the right-hand side of Christ and the Cross, while opposing but complementary subjects are on His left. . circa 1025. The artist is unknown. Crucifixion-vita-mors-uta-codex-clm-13601-f3v-c1025
Size: 1898px × 2634px
Photo credit: © The Picture Art Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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