The Resurrection

As Jesus rises in triumphant Resurrection, the Roman soldier guarding the tomb at the lower right, seems, at first glance, to respond in awestruck ecstasy. He and his fellow guards, however, remain deeply asleep, ignorant to the divine event.

The soldier’s discarded helmet was inspired by a wellknown design by 16th-century Italian armorer Filippo Negroli; it can also be seen in paintings by artists like Bartholomeus Breenbergh’s teacher, Pieter Lastman. Many artists appreciated such pieces of Negroli armor for their fantastical, animalistic designs that reference classical ornament, and often collected them as studio props for use in history scenes.