Christ on the cross between the two thieves
ca. 1631
Medium
Engraving; fourth state of four (?)
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 14 in. × 19 1/2 in. (35.5 × 49.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.525
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking engraving, titled *Christ on the Cross Between Two Thieves* and dated around 1631, captures a pivotal moment from the Passion of Christ. Attributed to Peter Paul Rubens an anonymous engraver, likely reproduces one of the master's dynamic compositions. Rubens, a leading Flemish Baroque artist, was renowned for his dramatic religious scenes filled with movement, emotion, and grandeur. The fourth state of four suggests a refined version, possibly with added details or corrections, making it a prized collector's item from the era. Printed on a trimmed sheet measuring 14 × 19½ inches...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Anonymous · 1577–1640
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...