Murals of the Basilica

Back to Table of Contentsn

"Crucifixion"

The second panel presents “The Crucifixion.” One of the more striking in the cycle, It is a simple portrayal off the crucified Christ, Mary and St. John silhouetted against a dark sky. In this panel, however, Mary and John are not looking up at Jesus but are facing the viewer.

The composition is probably inspired by the text from John’s Gospel: “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home” (John 19: 26-27).

In the upper left corner, the sun is darkened: “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed” (Luke 23: 44-45).