Christ Bearing the Cross
Medium
Oil on wood
Dimensions
14 3/4 x 10 5/8 in. (37.5 x 27 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Accession Number
32.100.112
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Christ Bearing the Cross," by an anonymous Northern French, captures a poignant moment from the Passion of Christ. In this intimate oil-on-wood panel, measuring just 14¾ x 10⅝ inches, Jesus is depicted shouldering the heavy wooden cross en route to Calvary, accompanied soldiers as suggested by the artwork's tags. Such small-scale devotional pieces were cherished in medieval and early Renaissance households, inviting personal meditation on Christ's suffering and sacrifice. The use of oil on wood, a hallmark of Northern European painting techniques, allowed the artist to achieve luminous depth...