Art of the Cross

Filmmaker Richard Edwards' documentary traces the many ways in which the chief symbol of Christianity has been depicted in art over the centuries, beginning with the observation that among the earliest Christian communities, the cross did not hold the place of prominence it would later assume; instead, the lamb, the anchor, and the fish were the preferred imagery to represent Christ. But after the emperor Constantine (a Christian convert) outlawed crucifixion as a mode of execution in the 4th century, the cross was transformed into an emblem of triumph rather than shame, and became more widely adopted as the central icon of the faith. After noting the importance of the cross in earlier cultures, Art of the Cross briefly follows its appearance in medieval manuscript illumination and sculpture. But the real emphasis here is from the Renaissance onward, covering the works of many notable artists—Michelangelo, Giotto, Raphael, Fra Angelico, Dürer, Tintoretto, El Greco, Rubens, Rembrandt, Velázquez, Goya, and Gauguin, among others, up to the 20th century's very different depictions of the crucifixion by such disparate figures as Edvard Munch, Francis Bacon, Marc Chagall, and Salvador Dali. Backed by astute observations from scholars, the documentary features elegant shots of the artworks themselves along with location footage. A wide-ranging, informative, and beautifully photographed introduction to an important aspect of Christian art, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)