The Descent from the Cross (Rubens, 1612–1614)

Peter Paul Rubens · 1611

The Descent from the Cross (Rubens, 1612–1614) by Peter Paul Rubens

The story

The Descent from the Cross is the central panel of a triptych painting by the Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens in 1612–1614. It is still in its original place, the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium. The painting is considered to be one of Rubens' masterpieces. The painting depicts the moment when the body of Jesus Christ is taken down from the cross after his crucifixion. The subject was one Rubens returned to again and again in his career. The artwork was commissioned on September 7, 1611, by the Confraternity of the Arquebusiers, whose patron saint was St. Christopher.

Artist
Peter Paul Rubens
Date
1611
Collection
Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium
Medium
oil paint, panel
Size
421 × 622 cm

Story adapted from the Wikipedia article and its contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.

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