Christ on the Cross; verso: St. Jerome Reading by Candlelight, and Sketch of Male Torso (?)
Medium
Recto and verso: black and white chalk
Dimensions
9 15/16 x 16 5/8 in. (25.2 x 42.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971
Accession Number
1972.118.278
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold this remarkable double-sided drawing by Anthony van Dyck, the eminent Flemish Baroque master (1599–1641), a protégé of Peter Paul Rubens and portraitist to King Charles I of England. On the recto, Christ on the Cross captures the poignant drama of the Crucifixion, rendered with van Dyck's signature elegance and emotional intensity. Flipping to the verso reveals St. Jerome Reading by Candlelight—a contemplative depiction of the scholarly saint bathed in soft glow—and a tentative sketch of a male torso, showcasing the artist's exploratory process. Crafted in black and white chalk on a ge...
About the Artist
Anthony van Dyck|Anthony van Dyck · 1599–1641
Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) was a Flemish Baroque artist who revolutionized portrait painting and became the most influential court painter in 17th-century England. Born in Antwerp as the seventh of twelve children to a prosperous silk merchant, van Dyck displayed extraordinary artistic talent from childhood. He trained under Hendrick van Balen before joining Peter Paul Rubens's workshop as a...