To celebrate the Christian festival of Easter, here is the story of Holy Week and Easter explained in paintings.
Palm Sunday
Our ‘Easter Explained in Paintings’ manual starts with the Palm Sunday. The sixth Sunday in Lent marks the beginning of the Holy Week. It is the day that Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, on a donkey, while cheering crowds wave palm leaves.
Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Spy Wednesday
Between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday a variety of events are remembered. For example the anointing of Jesus at Bethany, Jesus’ predictions of his own death, and the details of Judas’ betrayal (hence “spy” Wednesday).
Maundy Thursday
Also known as Holy Thursday, this is the day where Christians commemorate the Last Supper that Christ shared with his disciples. The word maundy comes from the command (mandate) given by Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another.
Read more about Leonardo da Vinci here and about his Last Supper here!
Before supper Jesus famously washes the feet of his followers (known as the Pedilavium), and during supper he breaks bread and shares wine.
Afterwards Jesus goes to spend the night praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He prays in distress and fear of the events to come. The disciples, who were meant to be waiting for him, fall asleep and leave their friend to suffer alone.
Next, armed men arrive in the garden to arrest Jesus. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss.
Read more about Caravaggio in one of these articles!
Good Friday
Good Friday commemorates “the Passion”: the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor tries Jesus on the charge of treason.
Jesus is whipped and then given a crown of thorns, which was a way of mocking him for the claim to be the ‘King of the Jews.’
Jesus then carries his cross to Calvary (or Golgotha), where he is then nailed to it beside two other criminals.
Read about more crucifixions in art here.
After some hours soldiers check that Jesus is dead by stabbing him in the side. His body is then taken down and buried.
Read more about Dalí in one of these articles.
Good Friday is a day of mourning. Christians think about Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, and what this means for their faith.
Read more about Fra Angelico here.
Black Saturday
Also known as Holy Saturday, the Great Sabbath and Easter Eve, this is technically the last day of Holy Week.
On this day Jesus’ body is in the tomb and his soul visits hell – the event known as the “harrowing of hell”. This is the time period between crucifixion and resurrection where Jesus descends to hell.
Read about medieval art in one of these articles.
Easter Day
This is one of the most important events in Christianity – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are many depictions of that crucial moment in art, it was hard to choose one particular painting for our ‘Easter Explained in Paintings’ manual!
In the morning the women go to the tomb of Jesus to prepare the body but find it empty. Angels tell them that Jesus has risen.
Read more about Rembrandt in one of these articles.
The whole story of Easter, known as the Passion, is told in the four gospels of the bible (Mark 14-15, Matthew 26-27, Luke 22-23, and John 18-19). It’s also detailed by the Jewish historian Josephus, and the Roman historian Tacitus.
Read more about Raphael here.
Now, knowing what every single day of the Holy Week means to Christians in our ‘Easter Explained in Paintings’ manual, you can celebrate Easter this way if you want or just enjoy your holidays!
