The birth, death and resurrection of Christ: from Michelangelo to Tiepolo

During the Renaissance, biblical episodes from the life of Christ were the artistic mainstay for a majority of artists. This exhibition focuses on the three major stages of Christ’s life: his incarnation, in the form of the Nativity; his Crucifixion; and finally the Resurrection. Through fifty three drawings and prints from the British Museum, we explore the way that artists differently envisioned these key moments of Christ’s life and how they prepared their paintings and frescoes on these themes.

Beginning in the Renaissance and ending in the 18th century these skilled works chart the continuity and differences in the narrative approach, while also providing a broad overview of the functions, techniques and major artistic trends of the period.

View the gallery guide