The Crucifixion from the Parliament of Paris (1448), its political and legal meanings
The article is devoted to the analysis of the Crucifixion from the Parliament of Paris - a painting that decorated the Great Hall of the Royal Court from the beginning of the 15th century until 1904. The author focuses on the political and legal meanings that were embedded in the Crucifixion. From this point of view, the main characters of the retablo, their appearance and attributes, as well as the general structure of the picture are studied. The author comes to the conclusion that the foreground of the retablo was intended primarily for educated people who are familiar not only with the history of the Passion of Christ or the martyrdom of St. Dionysius, but also with the Christian doctrine of redemption and the separation of powers. The background of the retablo, on the contrary, was intended for the common people. For each group of viewers, the artist used special symbolism and understandable markers. Nevertheless, the purpose of the Crucifixion remained the same - to emphasize by all means that the Parliament of Paris is the highest Royal Court of France, the place of judicial power par excellence, which is equal for everybody: the representatives of the nobility and the church, the high-ranking courtiers, the persons of the Royal blood, the ordinary people.