Francesco Buoneri, called Cecco del Caravaggio: The Resurrection (1619-1620)

(Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA)

Easter is the feast of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the last day of the Holy Week. After Christ was died on the cross on Good Friday, his body was taken, wrapped in a linnen cloth and laid to rest in a tomb. The tomb itself was closed with a large stone and Several guards were placed at the entrance to secure it. According the the gospel of Matthew, on the third day of his burial an angel came down and rolled the large rock from the entrance aside. The soldiers guarding the tomb were terrified by the agel and fle. When Mary Magdalene and the virgin Mary came to the tomb to anoit the body of Jesus, they were greeted by the angel. The angel told them  that Jesus has risen and told them to tell the disciples the Good News. This painting by Francesco Buoneri (a pupil of Caravaggio) shows the main ingredients of the story. An angel moves aside the large rock with the terrified guards. Jesus himself appears at the top of the painting. Painting from 1619-1620.