Introduction
The Gero Crucifix and Vladimir Madonna both have contention in portraying religious concepts and a drawing of Jesus. The so-called ‘Gero Crucifix’ ranks as one of the earliest preserved monumental carved crucifixes and the oldest image of the dead Christ on the cross, in contrast to earlier images of the crucified Savior, which presented him alive and glorious over death. The Gero Crucifix was displayed surrounded by golden rays as if visualizing the triumphal second coming of Messiah. In a similar connection, the “Vladimir Madonna” which is often cited as the icon of contemplatives teaches about the human condition that bittersweet paradox of existence, from within. The Vladimir Madonna is usually referred to as “The Mother of Tenderness.”It is in fact quite fascinating the way the two drawings all bring in a similar religious connection to which will be discussed further.
Gero Crucifix
Stylistic characteristic
Unlike most of its time, the Gero Crucifix presents a conception of Christ dramatically different from its Early Christian representation of a younger Christ glorious over death. Consistent with strong Byzantine elements in Ottonian art, the Christ with beard of the Cologne crucifix is more similar to representation in Byzantine of the anguish of Jesus, but the emotional influence of the Ottonian art is superior still (Schulze-Senger 11). The sculptor depicts Jesus as an overall human martyr. Drops of Blood falling down from his forehead onto the crown that has thorns on it. His eyes are shut, there is tiredness on his face with pain, and his body sags on its load. The muscle stretch to their maximum, those of his chest and shoulder seems almost ripped in pieces. The circle of light behind His forehead may predict his following resurrection, but the worshipers can sense only his pain. The Gero Crucifix is among the influential description of the strong anguish of the earlier periods.
Cultural Significance
The Gero Crucifix depicts a powerful categorization of medieval art with the body of Christ on the cross. It is a Carolingian religious art with the shape of Christ in a Gero Cross. In 1683, Gero Crucifix was displayed in Catholic Cologne Cathedral in a new altarpiece. It is made of gilded and painted wood and is suspended above an altar. The back of Christ's head was hollowed to hold communication bread used in the ritual of the Eucharist. Christ's head hangs heavily on, and his body appears limp and frail. Saint Paul proclaimed the Glory of the cross and preached by later theologians on the marble altarpiece where the Gero Crucifix was displayed. This is the earliest period in history that an image of the dead Chris was depicted on the cross. The drawing represents the suffering of Christ on the cross. Displaying an old crucifix in a new setting in the seventieth century was, also, closely connected with the revival of interest on remote rulers and saints. In this way, medieval could become embedded in local history.
Figure 1: Gero Crucifix Christ in a Gero Cross (Schulze-Senger 17)
Vladimir Madonna
Stylistic characteristic
In the painting Vladimir Madonna, the artist responds visually to the long Byzantine history of religious icons. The embracing action of the Mother and Child and the unbroken shape that surrounds the two figures suggested strongly that the artist was looking specifically to the figures of Mary and Jesus in the renewed Virgin and Child icon –late eleventh to early twelfth century. The Vladimir Madonna painting creates a tender depiction of Mary as the Virgin Compassion, who presses her cheek against her Son. The image communicates a deep pathos as Mary contemplates her Son's future sacrifice. This pathos is made even more explicit at the back of the Vladimir Virgin, which depicts the instruments of Christ's Passion.
Cultural Significance
The artist in Vladimir Madonna did a great pie of art in creating the image that evokes the sorrow of a mother at her son's death. The creation of Vladimir Madonna suggests that Mary's tragic sorrow was personified at the death of his son. The poignant work communicates the artist's direct experience of carrying a child in and with separation of birth. This unity and separation are embodied in Vladimir Madonna as Mary contemplates the future death of her Son. The Vladimir Madonna clearly releases the stylized concept that is depicted from centuries of functioning and change with the predictable image. The artist was most likely Constantinopolitan artist, and this image exhibits all the traits of Byzantine characteristics.
The Vladimir Madonna like most icons has seen hard service; placed before and above altars in churches of private chapels, the icons became blackened by the incense and smoke from candles that burned before or below it. It was frequently re-painted, often by inferior artist and only the face show the original cover. First drafted in the late 11th or early 12 century, it was taken to Ukraine in 1113, then to Vladimir (Russia) in 1155, hence its name and as a wonder-working image, to Moscow to protect the city from Mongols (Jones 50). The Russians believed that the sacred picture saved the city of Kazan from later Tartar intentions and all Russia from the Poles in the 17th century. The Vladimir Madonna is a historical symbol of Byzantium's and cultural mission to the Slavic world.
Figure 2: Vladimir Madonna Drawing (Jones 57)
Comparison
There are various similarities and differences in the way that Gero Crucifix and Vladimir Madonna are drawn as well as their significance and the significance of their symbols. In the drawing of Gero Crucifix, the shape Christ is drawn on with sorrow unlike most of the drawing in that time. In a similar context, the artists in Vladimir Madonna do not fail to include the sorrow of a mother towards the child when he foresees the sorrowful death that He is to encounter (VAVINEK and Bohumila 117). Both the two images were used in the ancient time for worshipping. They were suspended on walls while worshiping and believers assumed that they, in fact, contributed to the prevention of occurrence such as when Russians believed that Vladimir Madonna saved the city of Kazan from later Tartar intentions and all Russia from the Poles in the 17th century. The Vladimir Madonna drawing shows baby Jesus before his being crucified while Gero Crucifix is after Christ was dead on the cross which is a symbol of sacrifice to believers.
Conclusion and Thematic Connection
A connection that can be drawn from the two drawing is that in Vladimir Madonna, an icon of Mary is depicted as a Virgin of Compassion, who presses her cheek against her son's as she contemplates his future while o the other side is Christ showing his compassion. In Gero Crucifix, an image of Jesus is made of gilded and tinted wood and is suspended above an altar with his head hanging greatly on and his body appears limp and frail. Both images express sorrow and compassion to the manner in which both artists presented the drawings. While the image of Vladimir Madonna expresses the future, Gero Crucifix reflects a clear result of the future with an image of Christ on the cross. Both images portray a religious connection which is of significance to believers.
Works Cited
Schulze-Senger, Christa, et al. "The Gero Crucifix in Cologne Cathedral."Jahrbuch der rheinischen Denkmalpflege 32 (1987): 11-54.
Jones, W. Gareth. "The" Morning Light" Charity Schools, 1777-80." The Slavonic and East European Review 56.1 (1978): 47-67.
VAVINEK, V., and Bohumila Zasterova. "Byzantium’s Role in the Formation of Great Moravian Culture." Byzantinoslavica 43 (1982): 161-188.
