Christ Carrying the Cross
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 29 x 38.6 cm (11 7/16 x 15 3/16 in.) sheet: 34.5 x 42.6 cm (13 9/16 x 16 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Accession Number
2012.92.613
Art Historical Context
Created in 1606, this engraving captures the solemn moment of Christ carrying the cross on his way to Calvary, a central scene from the Christian Passion narrative Willem Swanenburgh produced the print after a design by the Dutch Mannerist painter Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael, a common practice in the early seventeenth century that allowed artists to share compositions with wider audiences. The medium of engraving on laid paper enabled fine detail and multiple impressions, making religious imagery more accessible beyond the original painting or drawing. Swanenburgh’s careful line work translates...