The Art of the Crucifixion: From Anguish to Absurdity

Depictions of the crucified Christ are common in both churches and art museums, though the specifics can vary widely. The Bible gives scant details and leaves a lot of room for imagination, and artists of every era have been quick to add their own creative touches. From Byzantine works that adhered closely to theological doctrine, to Western wealthy patrons with their own ideas about how the crucifixion should be shown, to modern artists creating passionate testaments to their personal beliefs as well as their views on politics and social justice, there is much to examine through visual representations of this singular, profound event.

Dr. Arbitman received both an MA and Ph.D. in art history from the University of Pittsburgh with a specialization in seventeenth-century Dutch art, more specifically, Rembrandt. After serving as the first curator-in-charge of The Frick Art Museum in 1985, she went on to become the director of the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State University and the Executive Director of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Florida.