The central panel illustrates a tension between the multitude of massively muscled men attempting to lift the cross and the seemingly unbearable weight of Christ on the cross. 133-6). [3], The sketch was critiqued by the patrons, who preferred to put Christ in a more upright position as well as turning his body and face more towards the audience to heighten the drama of the piece. https://www.khanacademy.org/.../baroque-art1/flanders-1/v/rubens-elevation [5] The most notable difference seen between the 1611 painting and the 1638 painting is the elimination of the frames. Both pieces were painted by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp, Belgium, the original in 1610 and the latter in 1638. THE ELEVATION OF THE HOLY CROSS Objectives: Students should be able to identify each character in the icon, telling the story.Students should know the Troparion of the Holy Cross and “Before Thy Cross”.Students should know that the date of the feast is September 14. [5] The painting is now in the Art Gallery of Ontario's permanent collection, after it was purchased from George Holford in 1928. Possible lesson plan: Open with prayer. This strong diagonal reinforces the notion that this is an event unfolding before the viewer, as the men struggle to lift the weight of their burden. When the three young men were thrown into the fiery furnace they were saved by being raised, thanks to miraculous divine intervention (Dan. The center panel represents a disturbing image of Jesus Christ crucified, being lifted by nine executioners working together to place the heavy cross into an upright position. [3] Rubens would have done all the sketches and designs for the works being created in his workshop. In 1794, the painting was seized by the French and taken to Paris. This painting, along with The Descent of the Cross, was taken from Belgium by Napoleon, but they were later returned at the end of the 19th century. The work was originally installed on the high altar of the Church of St. Walburga in Antwerp (since destroyed), and is now located in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. �The Elevation of the Cross� by Peter Paul Rubens is currently located at the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, Belgium. [2] The paintings were returned to Antwerp in 1815, but since St. Walburga had been destroyed, they were placed in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp instead. [3] These separate drawings were used in conjunction with the modello in the final execution of the large scale painting. [1] The thieves in the right wing are being prepared for execution as the Roman officers issue their orders. John Whiteford's News, Comments, & Reflections. Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place. 3, 23), just as the prophet Daniel was saved in the same way when he was cast into the lions’ den (Dan. The background is a dark, dismal sky. Peter Paul Rubens, The Elevation of the Cross, 1610, oil on wood, 15′ 1 7/8″ × 11′ 1 1/2″ (central panel), 15′ 1 7/8″ × 4′ 11″ (wings) (Now located in the transpet of the Cathedral in Antwerp, though originally intended for the main altar of Saint Walburga—a church which no longer exists). Figure 1. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be. The area which is today Belgium remained Catholic (where Rubens lived), while the area which is today the Netherlands, or Holland (where Rembrandt lived) broke away from Catholic Spain (which had controlled it) and established an independent Republic that was predominantly Calvinist (a form of Protestantism). The original frame, unfortunately lost, would have made the painting even more impressive in size! The triptych painting was the first to be completed in 1610-1611. THE ELEVATION OF THE CROSS Objectives: Children should recognize a cross and how to make the sign of the cross. Rubens combines the physicality of classical sculpture (think of the Laocoön in the Vatican Museums), with the elegance and attention to musculature of Michelangelo, and the drama of the Baroque in what some art historians have described as his most important altarpiece. [5] The smaller painting is unique from the original, however, with the addition of color accents throughout the composition. [1] Peter Paul Rubens's foreshortening is evident in the contortions of the struggling, strapping men, which is reminiscent of Tintoretto's Crucifixion in the Scuola di San Rocco in Venice. Peter Paul Rubens painted The Elevation of the Cross after returning to Flanders from Italy. The same tradition is preserved in the hymns of the Church, where, on the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, we sing: ‘once when Daniel , great among the prophets, stretched out his arms like a cross, having been cast into the lion’s den, he was saved unharmed from being devoured by them’ (Ode 8, Canon for Mattins). [3] The modello also served as a model for the assistants to start the preliminary steps of the full scale painting. The Elevation of the Cross, Central panel. One thief—already being nailed to the cross on the ground—is foreshortened back into space, while the other—just behind him with his hands bound—is being forcefully led away by his hair. Figure 3. ‘The Elevation Of The Cross’ was created in c.1633 by Rembrandt in Baroque style. In addition to the powerful figural composition, the three panels are visually unified through the landscape and sky. In both cases, Rubens was adhering to one of the primary mandates of the Council of Trent (1545-63), which called for historical accuracy in the representation of sacred events (at the Council of Trent, church authorities essentially decided theological questions raised by Martin Luther and the Protestants, the period following the Council is known as the Counter-Reformation—the Catholic Church’s response to Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation). [2], The Antwerp triptych was positioned above the high altar preceded by a set of stairs, making it visible from a great distance in the vast Gothic cathedral of St. The two most important artists of the Baroque era in Northern Europe (what we knew as Flanders in the fifteenth century)—Rubens and Rembrandt—worked under enormously different circumstances, even though they lived only a few hundred miles apart, because Flanders became divided along religious lines in the sixteenth century. The left and central panels share a rocky outcropping covered with oak trees and vines (both of which have Christological significance). Rubens uses dynamic color and chiaroscuro boldly, a style that would become more subtle with time. Peter Paul Rubens, The Elevation of the Cross, 1610, oil on wood, 15′ 1 7/8″ × 11′ 1 1/2″ (central panel), 15′ 1 7/8″ × 4′ 11″ (wings) (Now located in the transpet of the Cathedral in Antwerp, though originally intended for the main altar of Saint Walburga—a church which no longer exists) Children should know the story of St. Helen and the finding of the Holy Cross. That is that they wanted a supernatural sign, such as the resurrection of the dead or cure of demoniacs, which would allow them to believe in the message of the Cross. [5] Due to its size, some have suggested the painting may have been conceived as an independent painting to The Elevation of the Cross, to be given as a personal gift to Cornelis van der Geest. The Elevation of the Cross is a triptych panel painting, depicting many rippling-muscled men lifting Jesus in the Cross. The main sign of the elevation of the cross in the history of the Israelite people was that made by Moses with his rod, when he parted the waters of the Red Sea, at God’s command, so that the Israelites, who were being pursued by the Egyptians, could make their way over and be saved. In his studio Rubens had assistants working for him who specialized in different things, so they could all work on different parts of a single painting. We created Smarthistory to provide students around the world with the highest-quality educational resources for art and cultural heritage—for free. The right panel (above, right) continues the narrative event as Roman soldiers prepare the two thieves for their fate as they will be crucified alongside Christ. The Elevation of the Cross altarpiece is a masterpiece of Baroque painting by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens. In this stage, Rubens used chalk to make drawings with live models present, positioning the models in the various poses as predetermined in the modello. This is a holy day of fasting and repentance. Rubens was so successful that he set up a large studio in his native Antwerp (which you can still visit). [4] The three panels together work harmoniously, creating a continuous scene. He is also a perfect example of the changed status of the artist: his friends and confidants were scholars, aristocrats, and even the royal families of Europe (Rubens was so trustworthy and clever that he served as a diplomat). The Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross celebrates not one, but two important (but very much related) events in the history of the Church. [1] On the right outer wing stands Saint Catherine of Alexandria, accompanied by Saint Eligius. 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