Christ

The 16th-century Ventian Schivone was among the most inventive, experimental, and expressive artists working in the medium. This image of Saint Simon belongs to a rare complete set of Christ and the Twelve Apostles in which each figure strikes a graceful, twisting, theatrical pose. Schiavone establishes a degree of tension by combining highly activated contours with a quiet, contemplative mood in the gestures and facial expressions, perhaps suggesting the active life of the mind and the soul. In contrast to the crisp clarity that was the standard of excellence in his own time, Schiavone's unbridled approach to line and tone would only be fully appreciated by later generations of artists, such as Rembrandt. To view the complete set, see MFA accession numbers 2007.601.1-13