Die Kreuzaufrichtung

About this artwork

Diese drastische Darstellung geht auf Vorbilder wie Rubens' kleine Kreuztragung im Pariser Louvre, andererseits auch auf Rembrandts Version des Themas in der Alten Pinakothek in München zurück. Von Rembrandt übernimmt Maulbertsch die Inszenierung des Körpers Christi durch die im Verhältnis zur Umgebung helle Beleuchtung sowie den Grad der Schrägstellung des Kreuzes, von Rubens das Aufrichten des Kreuzes durch einen Soldaten mit einer Leiter und das zusätzliche Abstützen durch einen zweiten, der ...

Art Historical Context

**Die Kreuzaufrung (The Raising of the Cross)** Franz Anton Maulbertsch'sDie Kreuzaufrung*, painted around 1757–1758, captures the intense moment of erecting Christ's cross in a vivid oil-on-canvas work (147 x 113 cm) now housed in Vienna's Belvedere Collection. Baroque master from Austria draws viewers into a scene of raw drama, where the massive cross dominates the composition, thrusting dramatically toward us as soldiers labor to raise it. Maulbertsch masterfully blends influences from two giants: Peter Paul Rubens' *Carrying of the Cross* in the Louvre and Rembrandt's version in Munich's Alte Pinakothek. From Rembrandt, he adopts the ethereal lighting that isolates Christ's body—bright against shadowy surroundings—and the steep angle of the cross. Rubens inspires the dynamic action: one soldier scales a ladder to hoist it, while another braces the wood with his back. This fusion heightens the tension, pulling spectators into the biblical agony. Maulbertsch's engagement with these masters reflects his deep study; his estate held paintings and prints by Rubens and Rembrandt. Through bold chiaroscuro and foreshortening, he elevates a sacred narrative into a visceral emotional experience, showcasing 18th-century religious art's theatrical power.

About the Artist

Franz Anton Maulbertsch · 1724–1796

Comment on works: Allegory; Portraits; Religious