The Descent From The Cross (Rubens) (other)
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The Descent from the Cross ( el, Ἀποκαθήλωσις, ''Apokathelosis''), or Deposition of Christ, is the scene, as depicted in art, from the Gospels' accounts of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking Christ down from the cross after his crucifixion (). In Byzantine art the topic became popular in the 9th century, and in the West from the 10th century. The Descent from the Cross is the 13th
Station of the Cross The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imitati ...
, and is also the sixth of the Seven Sorrows of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
. Other figures not mentioned in the Gospels who are often included in depictions of this subject include John the Evangelist, who is sometimes depicted supporting a fainting Mary (as in the work below by Rogier van der Weyden), and
Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cru ...
. The Gospels mention an undefined number of women as watching the crucifixion, including The Three Marys, ( Mary Salome being mentioned in ), and also that the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene saw the burial (). These and further women and unnamed male helpers are often shown.G. Schiller, ''Iconography of Christian Art'', Vol. II, 1972 (English trans from German), Lund Humphries, London, p.164,


Development of the image

Even in early depictions the details and posing of the composition, and especially the position of Christ's body, are varied. The scene was usually included in medieval cycles of the Life or the Passion of Christ, between the Crucifixion and the '' Entombment of Christ''. The '' Lamentation of Christ'', or '' Pietà'', showing the body of Christ held by Mary, may intervene between these two, and is common as an individual image, especially in sculpture. The ''Bearing of the body'', showing Christ's body being carried to his tomb, and the ''Anointing of Christ's body'', showing the body laid flat on the top of the tomb or a similarly shaped "anointing-stone" are other scenes that may be shown. This last is especially important in Orthodox art, where it is shown on the Epitaphios. With the Renaissance the subject became popular for
altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...
s, partly because of the challenges of the composition, and the suitability of its vertical shape. The Mannerist version of Rosso Fiorentino is usually regarded as his most important work, and Pontormo's altarpiece is perhaps his most ambitious work. The subject was painted several times by both
Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
and
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally consid ...
, who repeated one of his paintings (now in Munich) in a large print, his only one to be mainly engraved, as well as making two other etchings of the subject.


Selected examples

*'' Deposition of Christ'', (c. 1433) by Fra Angelico, in the National Museum of San Marco, Florence. *'' Descent from the Cross'' (c. 1435) by Rogier van der Weyden, in
Museo del Prado The Prado Museum ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It is widely considered to house one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the ...
, Madrid). * ''Deposition from the Cross'', Filippino Lippi, completed circa 1506, by Pietro Perugino, in the ''Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze'' (Gallery of the Academy of Florence). * ''Deposition from the Cross'' (1521) by Rosso Fiorentino in Pinacoteca of Volterra. *'' Deposition from the Cross'' (1528) by Pontormo at Capponi Chapel of church of Santa Felicita, Florence. *'' Deposition of Christ'' (1545) by
Bronzino Agnolo di Cosimo (; 17 November 150323 November 1572), usually known as Bronzino ( it, Il Bronzino ) or Agnolo Bronzino, was an Italian Mannerist painter from Florence. His sobriquet, ''Bronzino'', may refer to his relatively dark skin or reddis ...
in the
Palazzo Vecchio The Palazzo Vecchio ( "Old Palace") is the City hall, town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria, which holds a copy of Michelangelo's ''David (Michelangelo), David'' statue, and the gallery of statues in the adjacent ...
, Florence. * ''The Descent from the Cross'' (1612–14), by
Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
, at the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp *'' Descent From The Cross'' (1995–1996), by
David Folley David Folley, (born 1960 in Plymouth) is an English painter based in Plymouth, Devon, UK. His private studio is located in the north of the city and the public face is his gallery and studio "Discover Folley", situated in Plymouth's historic Ba ...
, now at the Jesus Chapel, St. Andrew's Church, Wickford, Essex.


Gallery

File:SAAM-1929.6.81 2.jpg, Descent from the Cross, 14th century, oil on wood, Italy File:Descent from the Cross, Daniel of Uranc، 1463.jpg, Descent from the Cross. Armenian manuscript. Daniel of Uranc gospel, 1463. File:Descent from the Cross, Novgorod school (late 15th c., Tretyakov gallery).jpg, Descent from the Cross, 15th century icon File:Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 071.jpg,
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally consid ...
. '' The Descent from the Cross''. 1633. File:Stylianos Stavrakis Descent from the Cross.png,
Descent from the Cross (Stavrakis) The Descent from the Cross ( el, Ἀποκαθήλωσις, ''Apokathelosis''), or Deposition of Christ, is the scene, as depicted in art, from the Gospels' accounts of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking Christ down from the cross after ...
1729-1786 File:Edward Stott Memorial Window.jpg, Edward Stott Memorial Window by Robert Anning Bell (1919)


See also

* Antimension *
Epitaphios (liturgical) The Epitaphios (Greek: Ἐπιτάφιος, ''epitáphios'', or Ἐπιτάφιον, ''epitáphion''; Slavonic: Плащаница, ''plashchanitsa''; Arabic: نعش, ''naash'') is a Christian religious icon, typically consisting of a large ...
* Life of Jesus in the New Testament *
Seven Sorrows of Mary Our Lady of Sorrows ( la, Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows ( la, Mater Dolorosa, link=no), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names ...
* Pietà


References


External links

* {{Authority control Christian iconography Crucifixion of Jesus Iconography of Jesus Stations of the Cross Passion of Jesus in art by theme