The elevation of the cross (Baroque era)



                                                          The elevation of the cross





"During the height of the Counter-Reformation, when the doctrines of the Eucharist were being questioned by Reformed Protestants and the eucharistic wars were being waged, Rubens’s painting serves as a powerful reminder that Christ is not just a spiritual entity but that his bodily sacrifice is the moment of salvation, echoing the Gospel of John."

To me, this painting is beautiful, but it does show the brutality of the execution of Christ and the people that surrounded him. The point of the painting is to convey Christ's love through his sacrifice and the debt of sin being paid for humanity. It shows how Christ’s death pays for the weight of sin, and to me, that demonstrates his love.

"Like the best of Rubens’s works, The Elevation of the Cross is filled with action. The painted figures may not move as we do, yet we cannot help but feel the movement within the piece—the passion it induces, and the physicality of the transitions between light and darkness."

This piece was created in 1610 by Peter Paul Rubens, a Flemish artist and one of the most renowned painters of the Baroque era—a style that emphasized movement, sensuality, and color. These distinct features of the Baroque era are many of the reasons it is considered one of, if not the best, eras in art history. Personally, the Baroque era is hands down my favorite.

MLA Citations 


Krause, P. (2022, August 7). The great art: Peter Paul Rubens, “the elevation of the cross.” Discourses on Minerva. https://minervawisdom.com/2022/05/20/the-great-art-peter-paul-rubens-the-elevation-of-the-cross/#:~:text=During%20the%20height%20of%20the,of%20salvation%20and%2C%20echoing%20the



Peter Paul Rubens - 616 artworks - painting. www.wikiart.org. (n.d.). https://www.wikiart.org/en/peter-paul-rubens

Comments

  1. Hannah BrooksOctober 14, 2024 at 10:03 PM

    You did a great job of the analyzing of Baroque art. The Counter Reformation was the highlighted feature of this blog post. This Roman Catholic attachment to the art adds a layer and history to the piece. The depiction of the "Elevation of the Cross" is a beautiful painting. It has a religious significance that you very clearly highlighted. The Baroque art ties to this because it truly shows why the depictions of art are done in a certain way. There was social turmoil as well which you discussed. Great job overall and I really loved the painting. There is a dramatic effect created by the cross being elevated.

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