Perugino (Italian, Città della Pieve, active by 1469–died 1523 Fontignano) – The Resurrection Metropolitan Museum: part 2

The composition presents a central figure emerging from what appears to be a stone structure, dominating the visual field. He is depicted with fair skin and long hair, clad in a flowing red garment that clings to his form as he raises his arms towards the sky. Emanating from his hands are swirling bands of light, suggesting divine power and transcendence. The landscape behind him stretches into the distance, featuring rolling hills and mountains under a pale blue sky.
Arranged around this central figure are four additional individuals, each reacting differently to the event unfolding before them. To the left, one man in armor kneels, his head bowed in apparent awe or supplication. Another, clad in red tights and a tunic, leaps into the air with an expression of astonishment. On the right side, two more figures are present: one stands holding a spear, his face partially obscured by shadow, while another sits slumped on the ground, seemingly overwhelmed by what he witnesses.
The artist’s use of perspective creates a sense of depth and grandeur. The landscape recedes gradually, drawing the viewers eye towards the central figure as the focal point. The figures are rendered with a degree of naturalism, though their poses and expressions are stylized to convey heightened emotion. The color palette is restrained, dominated by earth tones and punctuated by the vibrant red of the central figure’s garment and the tights of one of the onlookers.
Subtleties within the scene suggest layers of meaning beyond a straightforward depiction of an extraordinary event. The kneeling soldiers posture implies submission to a higher power, while the leaping man embodies surprise and wonder. The shadowed figure with the spear hints at potential resistance or disbelief, adding complexity to the narrative. The slumped figure’s despair could represent the loss of faith or the realization of profound change. Collectively, these reactions suggest a spectrum of human responses to the miraculous – ranging from reverence to fear, from acceptance to denial. The stone structure from which the central figure emerges might symbolize resurrection as a transition between earthly existence and divine realm.