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Travis Osborne

Professor Joslin

ART 1110.800

22 November 2018

The Raising of the Cross

“The Raising of the Cross” which is also referred to as “The Elevation of the Cross” is a

triptych painting based on the crucifixion of Christ by Peter Paul Rubens. This piece was

painted in 1610 with oil on canvas. The piece measures 15 feet in height and 21 feet wide when

opened. “The Raising of the Cross” was painted for the Church of St. Walberg in Antwerp. The

church was demolished in 1817. (www.peterpaulrubens.net) The painting is now located in the

Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. The piece consists of two outer “wings” and a center panel.

The original frame was lost which would have made the painting even more impressive in size.

Rubens actually painted this piece onsite due to its size. He hid behind a curtain while painting.

(www.khanacademy.org)

Peter Paul Rubens was born on June 28, 1577, in Siegen, Nassau, Westphalia (Germany).

After the death of his father, his family moved to Antwerp which is now Belgium, where he

received an education and artistic training. He was an apprentice to several established artists.

In 1598, he was accepted into Antwerp’s professional guild for painters. Rubens traveled to Italy

in 1600. He was hired by Vincenzo I Gonzaga and was commissioned to paint portraits. Rubens

began to receive commissions to paint religious works for churches. Rubens returned home in

1608, where he married Isabella Brant. He set up his own studio and hired a staff of assistants.

He was appointed as the court painter to Archduke Albert and Archduchess Isabella. Local

churches were adding new art so Rubens received a commission to paint two large religious
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works, “The Raising of the Cross” and “The Descent from the Cross”, for Antwerp Cathedral

between 1610 and 1614. Rubens did not limit himself. He created paintings with historical and

mythological scenes. He also painted hunting scenes such as “Wolf and Fox Hunt”. After the

death of this wife in 1626, Rubens traveled in which he combined his artistic career with

diplomatic visits. He married his second wife, Helena, when he returned to Antwerp. He

painted “Self-Portrait with Helena and Peter Paul” to represent his domestic happiness with his

new wife and son. Rubens was one of the most celebrated artists in Europe at the time of his

death on May 30, 1640. Rubens style of work consisted of Renaissance idealization of the

human form in which he used lush brushwork, dynamic poses, and lively sense of realism. Due

to his way of depicting female bodies, he made the “Rubenesque” a familiar term.

(www.biography. com)

“The Raising of the Cross” is a triptych painting in which it is comprised of two outer

“wings” and a central panel. On the exterior of the “wings”, you can see four saints that are

associated with the church of St. Walburga. They are visible when the altarpiece is closed.

Rubens used a strong diagonal emphasis. He did this by placing the base of the cross at the far

lower right and the top of the cross at the upper left. This made Christ’s body the focal point. In

the lower right, you see two men who appear to be ready to enter the view by pulling the cross

upward. Rubens seemed to want people to be caught up in the moment of waiting to see what

would happen. He used a diagonal along the line from the lower right to the mid-left which is

where John and Mary are set. This allows the viewer to see their expression. He created a

diagonal that runs the opposite direction moving from the lower left to the upper right along the

line created by the leg and neck of the gray horse. By using these diagonals, Rubens is creating

tension and drama. Rubens used oak trees and vines, which bring into the painting
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Christological significance. Rubens kept St. John, the Virgin Mary, and the Roman soldiers on

the same ground-line. He created unification of the central and right panels through the sky.

The sky actually begins to get darker as you move into the central panel.

(www.khanacademy.org)

Two thieves are being prepared for their execution by Roman soldiers on the right wing.

When closed, you can see St. Eligius and Saint Catherine of Alexandria on the back. The left

wing shows the Virgin Mary and St. John. Other women and children are also shown with the

expression of horror. St. Amadus and St. Walburga appear on the back. These two “wings” are

connected to the middle panel by the story being told and by the background. There is a

mountain on the left and a clouded sky that continues to the right wing. Rubens created three

pieces of art, but connected them to be one piece. (www.grin.com) The center panel shows

Christ on the cross and being raised by muscular men. Rubens showed the uneasiness of the

lifting of Christ by the many men working and the struggle they seem to be having. (www.

khanacademy.org)

After studying the piece, “The Raising of the Cross”, I was able to see the hard work the

men were going through with lifting Christ on the cross. Rubens was able to relay this to his

viewers by showing the muscles of the men and by how the men were using ropes to lift the

cross. He also placed a dog in the picture in which it seems to be barking. This could be seen as

cheering for the crucifixion or trying to stop the men from hurting Christ. The left panel allowed

me to see how this was not out of the norm during this time period. This is shown by the mother

nursing her child and by having children there to witness it. It also allowed viewers to

emphasize with Mary and John. Showing their expression allowed people to feel the pain they

were going through and the questions that must have been going on as to why this was
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happening. The right panel allowed me to see how people who were about to the crucified were

treated. Soldiers rode their horses and carried their spears while the criminals walked and then

had to lay down on the cross to be nailed to it. This reminded me of slaves who tried to escape

and were returned to their owners and the treatment they received. This artwork represents what

I have been taught my whole life, but actually brought it to life. It allowed me to see it

happening and helped me make the connection to the story that has been told to me for many

years. Every Easter, I would hear of the crucifixion, but this actually showed me what it must

have been like during this time. The questions people had, the grief being felt, the excitement of

getting rid of someone that could cause problems, the work put into crucifying a person are

depicted within this piece. The artist was able to create a piece that seemed realistic and made

me feel part of the scene. I was able to put myself at the scene of the crucifixion and feel the

grief of Mary and John. Rubens created a piece of art that showed how people were feeling at

the time represented. He used colors that were bold which brought life to the piece. Overall, he

created a piece that allows people to make a connection to a story heard to what it could have

looked like and how people would have been feeling during this time.
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Works Cited:

Biography. Peter Paul Rubens Biography. https://www.biography.com /people/peter-paul-

rubens-9466127

Grin. Rubens’ "Raising of the Cross" and "Descent from the Cross".
https://www.grin.com/document/293857

Pritchard, Shannon. Rubens, Elevation of the Cross. https://www.khanacademy.org

/humanities/monarchy-enlightenment/baroque-art1/flanders-1/a/rubens-elevation-of-the-cross

University of Mount Union. Raising of the Cross, 1610 by Peter Paul Rubens.
http://www.peterpaulrubens.net/raising-of-the-cross.jsp#prettyPhoto