Resurrecting art from the early Renaissance

"On the third day (Easter Sunday), Christ rises from the dead and leaves the tomb, while the guards are outside sleeping."-definition of the Resurrection in art. OK, so I know that this isn't very timely, but I decided to blog on the most famous depiction of the resurrection in painting, to honor the past holiday.
The painting:
Piero Della Francesca'a Resurrection (1463), is a fine example of the symmetrically perfect paintings that defined early Renaissance art. Like Masaccio's Holy Trinity, this fresco uses the compositional device- the figure triangle. To stabilize the composition, Piero arranged his figures into a triangle centrally placed in the painting. The risen Christ, standing with strength and an attitude of eternal triumph at the edge of his tomb, occupies the upper portion of the triangular arrangement, while the soldiers sleeping in the foreground make up the broad base of the shape. By dominating the picture's central axis, the triangular scheme gives the painting great compositional stability and is one of the keys to the symmetry and self sufficiency Renaissance artists strove for in their work. Here, Piero involved his audience in the composition by depicting the sleeping soldier at the lower right with his back to the viewers so that the figure occupies the same position (relative to Christ) as that of the spectators. Notice that the two groups of soldiers also make up smaller triangles. This composition not only provides geometric clarity, but it also symbolizes the Trinity- the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Piero's sophisticated handling of color also draws attention to Christ as the motif. The bright flesh, white banner, and pink mantle contrast sharply with the dark tones used for the sleeping soldiers in the foreground. Thus, both Piero's composition and palette focus viewers' attention immediately on the radiant haloed Christ. Also, Piero purposely depicted a half winter barren landscape with half brought back to life in the background, to provide the symbolic resurrection of springtime.
The Artist:
Piero Della Francesca (1420-1492) was one of the many early Renaissance artists to influence later Renaissance artists like Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Titian. Piero, a skilled geometrician, believed that the highest beauty resides in forms that have the clarity and purity of geometric figures. Toward the end of his long career, Piero wrote the first theoretical treatise on systematic perspective. He received several commissions from Federico da Montefeltro, the well-known condottieri that accounted for Urbino's status as a center of Renaissance art and culture (the other was Cosimo de' Medici).
My Thoughts:
I love all Gothic and Renaissance Art! I wish that there were more artists like those of the past today. Although many contemporary artists argue that through painting, they are restricted to expressing themselves on a 2D picture plan, which they today liberate themselves from. Although this is not my favorite piece from its time, [Bosch's Garden of earthly Delights (1510) is], I am absolutely amazed at the theory involved in producing such masterpieces. One thing about this painting that remains a mystery to me is the meaning of the flag Christ holds. I know that it obviously symbolizes victory, but what else? Does it represent a place, family, or ruler? I have not yet found an art historian or book that can answer this question. Perhaps there is no meaning at all and it's just a generic flag.