Várhelyi Ilona: Bibliával Munkácsy Krisztus-trilógiája előtt (Debrecen, 2009)
Abstract
The fact that Jesus' shoulders are covered with a robe of fine material instead of a rough soldiers' robe is due to Munkácsy's love of textile. The robe, being the same shade of colour as the blood trickling from under the crown of thorns, suggests martyrdom and evokes the image of sacrificial blood. We cannot find the very same shade on any of the over 70 characters' clothes. In Pilate's pointing gesture one can detect the intention to have mercy: "Do I have to have this unfortunate man crucified?" Foreshadowed is the last attempt to save Jesus under an amnesty on the occasion of the feast, but the crowd already has the answer: Barabbas! The depiction of the crowd is very subtle. There are a relatively large number of women in the picture, all of them apparently on Jesus' side. In the multitude we can also see Mary, unconscious in John's arms. The wide range of gestures and emotions very well represents how divided the people are. The dynamic movements of some arms might as well be interpreted as movements of ovation, but all in all it is the clamour of the angry mob that dominates. Again, the reaction of the crowd triggers a chain of associations in the spectators of the picture. We realise that this is the very same crowd who greeted Jesus on his arrival in Jerusalem, singing Hosanna and waving palm branches. Well, here is man: easy to manipulate and bloodthirsty. It looks as if Pilate turned to the crowd only to hold them a mirror with his words: such is he and such are you. The elaborate portraits depict typical characters. Every movement and all the waving point towards Jesus, who is motionless. The painting is composed in such a way that the spectators themselves are invited to take sides. Although a chain and some steps divide the characters from the past and the present, the composition opens up towards the spectators and makes them take a stand, too. At the time of painting the picture Munkácsy, seriously ill, was already on Jesus' side with his whole existence. After Ecce Homo he put down his paintbrush for good. Golgotha The third piece of the trilogy, the largest in size 9 , was entitled "It is fulfilled" by the painter. Bible translators (both English-speaking and Hungarian) render the above words uttered by Jesus on the cross in two ways depending on whether they base their translation on the Latin Vulgate or the Greek original. Catholic translations use the phrase "it is fulfilled", whereas the Protestant wording is "it is finished". The difference is a Christological, rather than a linguistic, problem. If one looks upon Jesus on the cross merely as a man, it is a possible interpretation that having done his task he is going to finish his ignominious career shortly. On the other hand, if one looks upon him as the Messiah, at the same time he is seen as the Son obedient until crucifixion, the fulfiller of Prophecies, the Scripture and 9 460 * 712 cms, owned by Imre Pákh (USA). It was shipped to Hungary in a very bad condition by its previous owner. Since its restoration, it has been deposited in the Déri Museum.
