The Passion (Triptych after Mantegna)

In The Passion (Triptych after Mantegna), the artist reproduces the dramatic predella panels of the famous San Zeno Altarpiece. The composition is divided into three distinct narrative sections, preserved in the triptych format. Christ is depicted kneeling in prayer on a rocky outcrop while his disciples sleep below, capturing the moment of spiritual anguish before his arrest.

The imposing central scene shows Christ on the cross between the two thieves. The engraver has meticulously rendered Mantegna’s rocky landscape and the crowd of Roman soldiers and mourners at the foot of the cross. Christ stands triumphant above the sealed tomb, holding the flag of the Resurrection, while the guards recoil in shock.

The original painted panels (now separated between the Louvre in Paris and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tours) are renowned for their sculptural clarity and use of perspective. This engraving serves as a vital historical document of 19th-century art education and appreciation, demonstrating how French audiences studied and revered the “Primitives” of the Italian school.