Oil paint on plywood
Tate Collection
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/michael-rothenstein-1873" aria-label="More by Michael Rothenstein" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Michael Rothenstein</a>
Crucifixion
Presented by Mr and Mrs Ellis Roberts 1939
adults
Bible: New Testament
Crucifixion
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<p>This ambitious figure painting was exhibited at Rothenstein's first one-person show at the Matthiesen Gallery in 1938. It was one of several Biblical scenes in modern dress painted at that time, perhaps under the influence of Stanley Spencer. The elongated limbs and expressive faces of the figures are reminiscent of El Greco (1541-1614) who developed a personal mystical style of religious painting using distortion and sharp colour contrasts. From the late 1930s onwards, for a number of contemporary artists, the theme of the Crucifixion increased in significance as a metaphor for human cruelty. It was fully exploited in the aftermath of the Holocaust by artists such as Francis Bacon and Graham Sutherland.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint plywood
4 March 2010 – 30 November 2010
2010-11-30
4 March 2010 – 29 May 2010
2010-05-29
2010-03-04
Mascalls Gallery (Paddock Wood, UK)
15 June 2010 – 30 November 2010
2010-11-30
2010-06-15
Ben Uri Gallery (London, UK)
http://www.benuri.org.uk/
2010-03-04
Cross Purposes
Loan-out
The Crucifixion
support: 1016 × 762 mm
frame: 1203 × 946 × 84 mm
Presented by Mr and Mrs Ellis Roberts 1939
<p>This ambitious figure <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> was exhibited at Rothenstein's first one-person show at the Matthiesen Gallery in 1938. It was one of several Biblical scenes in modern dress painted at that time, perhaps under the influence of Stanley Spencer. The elongated limbs and expressive faces of the figures are reminiscent of El Greco (1541-1614) who developed a personal mystical style of religious painting using distortion and sharp colour contrasts. From the late 1930s onwards, for a number of contemporary artists, the theme of the Crucifixion increased in significance as a metaphor for human cruelty. It was fully exploited in the aftermath of the Holocaust by artists such as Francis Bacon and Graham Sutherland.</p>
Display caption
2004-09-02T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05046</b> THE CRUCIFIXION 1937</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘M. Rothenstein. 1937.’ t.l. and ‘He was a Thief’ and ‘I N R I’ over the crosses.
<br/>Oil on hardboard, 40×30 (101·5×76).
<br/>Presented by Mr and Mrs Ellis Roberts 1939.
<br/><i>Coll:</i> Purchased by Mr and Mrs Roberts from the artist.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> Matthiesen Gallery, November 1938 (11).</p>
<p>The artist wrote (6 December 1960) that he considered the picture ‘an ex-student effort’. It was one of several Biblical scenes in modern dress painted at that time, perhaps under the influence of Stanley Spencer.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/>
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-20T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults Bible: New Testament Crucifixion emotions and human qualities emotions, concepts and ideas group groups ladder man objects people religion and belief rope sack saw suffering tool tools and machinery vessels and containers