십자가에 올려지는 그리스도(The Raising of the Cross). Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal Antwerpen(성모마리아 대성당). 안트웨르펜(Antwerpen)

십자가에 올려지는 그리스도(The Raising of the Cross).

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal Antwerpen.

(Cathedral Of Our Lady. 성모마리아 대성당)

안트웨르펜(Antwerpen). 벨기에(Belgium)

dekathedraal.be

‘The raising of the cross’
Peter Paul Rubens

Rubens (1577-1640) painted The raising of the cross in 1609-1610, when he himself was about the age of the martyred Christ. Until 1794, this colossal work (central panel: 460 x 340 cm, side panels: 460 x 150 cm) was part of the high altar of the St Walburgis Church, which was later demolished. Hauled away by the French, the triptych was returned to Antwerp in 1815, where since 1816 it has had a central place in the Our Lady’s Cathedral. In The raising of the cross, Rubens introduced baroque art in the Netherlands after an eight year stay in Italy. The whirling strength, the impelling dynamism that characterize this masterpiece full of drama and pathos are striking. Nevertheless the whole presentation appears coherent and balanced. 

The diagonal composition of the central panel, with nine assistant executioners who act in unison, exerting their intensely earthly, carnal strength to raise the cross with the pale Christ, possesses a gruesome beauty. Here, Rubens has set down the raising of the cross, which until that time had scarcely appeared in the visual arts, in an unprecedentedly expressive, almost tempestuous manner. This relates to Roman-Catholic self-confidence, which was regained during the Counterreformation.

On the left panel, John and Mary (above) observe the disconcerting event with a number of mourning women (below).

On the right panel, a mounted Roman commander directs the crucifixion. In the background, the two thieves who are to die with Christ can be seen: while one thief is being undressed, the other has already been crucified.

The four saints on the reverse of the side panels refer to the original destination of the painting. They are Amandus (according to tradition the founder of the St Walburgis Church), Walburgis herself, Eligius (the patron saint of the Antwerp smiths, who had their guild altar in the St Walburgis Church) and Catherine (who was the object of a special devotion in the church).

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