The Death of Sarpedon is a scene depicted on a large Greek vase that was made in the sixth century B.C. The scene with Sarpedon is shown within a band of gold leafing and design that circumscribes the vase. Sarpedon was a Greek warrior in the Trojan War. He was killed in battle and the vase shows two soldiers fighting over his corpse, one from the Trojan camp who wants to mutilate it, and one from the Greek camp who wishes to save it for proper burial. The god Hermes stands over the body of Sarpedon, looking down on the scene. Though I have not seen any other artistic depictions of Sarpedon’s death, there may well be others who treat this subject differently.

Van der Weyden’s Descent from the Cross is an early Netherlandish painting from 1435 that illustrates the crucified Jesus being taken down from the cross. Other biblical-historical figures are included in the scene, some who were

Van der Weyden’s Descent from the Cross shares many of the compositional characteristics seen in The Death of Sarpedon. It is likewise framed in gold on black, though this is a thin Dutch gold frame. The inside scene is also set against a background of gold, much the same hue as the Sarpedon gold. The main scene is composed of figures in action around the crucified Christ. Taking Jesus down, and forming the uppermost, though not most important compositional element, are the donors who themselves are centered around and, indeed, physically supported by the cross. On the right side of the scene is Mary Magdalene who, crouching over to the right in grief, frames the interior scene from the right. Mary, bowed over with eyes downcast does not look anywhere in particular, but the men next to her and, indeed, all the other characters in the exterior of the scene direct their attention to the body of Jesus except for the other woman in mourning with eyes downcast who, quiet symmetrically is dressed in a white cap over blue gown just like Mary Magdalene. Additionally, St. John the Evangelist frames the scene from the left, though it must be said that he cannot strictly stand just as a framing element around the subject. The brilliant red color of his gown draws the viewers attention and give the entire scene a tilt to the left. This type of radical coloration was not present in Sarpedon. Undisputedly, however, the crucified Christ with His swooning mother at his side is the focus and subject of the scene. Mary’s mostly horizontal figure lays just in the same way as her son’s. These two establish the frontal plane of the scene by falling out into its extreme. All attention, however, is not paid to the bodies, as was true in Sarpedon, where the broken body of the fallen warrior demanded much attention. Instead, in Descent from the Cross, the sorrowful and pitiable faces of Jesus, Mary, and John form an important triangular form. It is interesting that, as mentioned before, and unlike the composition in Sarpedon, this triangle has a tilt toward John on the left

Some topics in this essay:
Death Sarpedon, Mary Magdalene, John Evangelist, Mary John, Descent Cross, Trojan War, Sarpedon Undisputedly, Taking Jesus, Cross Netherlandish, Weyden’s Deposition, death sarpedon, van der, descent cross, van der weyden’s, der weyden’s, weyden’s descent cross, mary magdalene, der weyden’s descent, weyden’s descent, scene mary, gold black, eyes downcast, subject van der, body sarpedon, scene mary magdalene,