Stories behind the surface

Journal

Essays begin with museum records and lead outward: toward a technique, a life, a close reading, or a question worth carrying into the treasury.

Created between 1581 and 1584 by Hubert Gerhard, Carlo Pallago, and Johann Müller, this gilded bronze relief depicts the Resurrection with dramatic Mannerist flair.

Journal

The Shock of the New: Hubert Gerhard's Resurrection Relief

At the base of a gilded bronze Resurrection, Roman soldiers writhe in theatrical panic while Christ floats above them in absolute calm. Made between 1581 and 1584, this relief shows exactly when church art stopped being symbolic and started being staged.

By Rob Polli · 22 September 2026 · 5 min read