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About This Work
The central figure of Christ levitates above an open tomb, holding a white banner with a red cross and gesturing toward heaven. Around the classical-style sarcophagus, four soldiers in colorful armor are shown in various states of alarm and retreat, while a snake slithers in the foreground. The scene is set in a wide, hilly landscape that transitions from green foregrounds to distant blue mountains.
This early work by Raphael reflects the Renaissance synthesis of Christian doctrine with Neoplatonic ideals concerning the immortality of the soul and the perfection of the human form. The composition emphasizes the 'ascent' and the triumph of the spirit over material death, themes central to the humanist philosophy of the era.