Christ Carrying the Cross (Bosch, Ghent)

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Christ Carrying the Cross
Jheronimus Bosch or follower 001.jpg
Artista follower of Hieronymus Bosch
Yearc. 1510–1535
Medium Oil on panel
Dimensions74 cm× 81 cm(29 in× 32 in)
Location Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent

Christ Carrying the Cross (also referred to as Christ Bearing the Cross) is a painting attributed to a follower of Hieronymus Bosch. It was painted in the early 16th century, presumably between 1510 and 1535. The work is housed in the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium. Various aspects of the painting have been a source of scholarly debate. [1] The painting is notable for its use of caricature to provide grotesque-looking faces surrounding Jesus [2] and is an expression of Bosch's pessimistic views. [3] It exhibits Christian imagery and symbolism, deriving its core elements from the Bible. [4]

Contents

History

The work was bought by the Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent in 1902, and was restored in 1956–1957. As for all Bosch-related works, the dating is uncertain, although most art historians assigned it to his late career. [5] The catalogue of the Bosch exhibition held in Rotterdam in 2001 assigned it to 1510–1535, attributing the execution to a follower. According to one of the authors, Bernard Vermet, that it is not a typical work of Bosch it is generally accepted and he finds it hard to believe that it was painted by the same painter as the Christ Crowned with Thorns in the National Gallery in London. Moreover, the colours remind him of the Mannerists of the 1530s and he relates the work to the Triptych of the Passion in Valencia and the Christ Before Pilate in Princeton, works that were definitely painted after the death of Bosch. [6] Since then the rejection has been accepted by Stephan Fischer [7] and disputed by Fritz Koreny. [8]

In October 2015 the Bosch Research and Conservation Project, which has been doing technical research on most of Bosch's paintings since 2007, confirmed they reject the attribution to Bosch as well and consider it to be made by a follower. [9] It was proposed by the Bosch Research and Conservation Project (BRCP), that the piece is in fact a replica of a previous piece of Bosch. [10] According to them, the piece should be dated from 1530 to 1540, which is after Bosch’s death. [10] Other evidence that the BRCP uses to support their attribution is that when studying the painting with infrared reflectography, the under drawing of the piece does not show many differences to the final piece, which is usually expected. [10] When studying the structure and composition of the painting, the BRCP insists that they are dealing with a different artist. [10] It was also determined that the painting was directly placed into a frame after painting due to the fact that there was no paint pooling at the edges of the piece. [10] It was standard procedure within the 15th century that pieces were framed before painting, which would show evidence of this build up of paint on the edges of the panel. [10]

However, this theory is refuted by Griet Stayaert. [10] His evidence is that there is no way to determine definitively the framing technique of the piece. [10] During the restoration of the piece in 1956-1957, wooden slats were added to frame the piece, so it could not be determined that the piece had unpainted edges to begin with. [10] He also aims to consider that the style of the painting itself is affected by the restoration process. [10] Stayaert compares the attributes of the painting to other paintings by Bosch and marks its similarity to The Last Judgment by Bosch and Christ Mocked (The Crowning of Thorns) by Bosch as well. [10]

Hieronymus Bosch, Saint Jerome, oil on oak panels, 77 cm x 59 cm (30 in x 23 in), Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent Hieronymus Bosch 012FXD.jpg
Hieronymus Bosch, Saint Jerome, oil on oak panels, 77 cm × 59 cm (30 in × 23 in), Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent
Hieronymus Bosch, Death and the Miser, oil on oak panels, 93 cm x 32 cm (36 5/8 in x 12 13/16 in), National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Jheronimus Bosch 050FXD.jpg
Hieronymus Bosch, Death and the Miser, oil on oak panels, 93 cm × 32 cm (36 5/8 in × 12 13/16 in), National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Another art historian that adds insight to this claim is Maximiliaan Martens. [10] His main point being that art history is not an exact science and it still needs people to interpret its conclusions. [10] In his own study of this painting through infrared reflectograms, he compared the underdrawings of Christ Carrying the Cross to other pieces attributed to Hieronymous Bosch, Saint Jerome and Death and the Miser. [10] He determined that the under drawings of the three paintings are different from one another. [10] Christ Carrying the Cross has a linear under drawing, Saint Jerome has a free under drawing, and Death and the Miser has a crowded crosshatching under drawing. [10] However, he stresses that there are instances where methods of under drawing have changed across pieces that have been confirmed to have the same artist. [10] He cites works of Raphael and Pieter Bruegel I, stating that their under drawings evolve through the years. [10]

Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, oil on oak panels, 205.5 cm x 384.9 cm (81 in x 152 in), Museo del Prado, Madrid The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch High Resolution.jpg
Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, oil on oak panels, 205.5 cm × 384.9 cm (81 in × 152 in), Museo del Prado, Madrid

Yet another art historian Paul van de Broeck insists that this change in style is attributed to the artistic process of Bosch. [10] He describes him as a "paradoxical artist". [10] Van de Broeck states that Bosch's purposefully contrasts his under drawing with his final product, often exhibiting exempla contraria. [10] This is a concept of showing "how it should not be". [10] There an even be found differences in style amongst the same piece. [10] In The Garden of Earthy Delights, there are changes in style across the three panels of the piece. [10]

Many art historians believe that the distortion and anguish in Bosch's pieces are inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's sketches, among them being Kurt Falk. [11] This is specifically referring to the sketches where da Vinci experimented with the distortion of faces and the body. [11] However, others argue that his inspiration was not that of Leonardo da Vinci, but they showed aspects of the northern tradition. [12] Walter Gibson [12] states that Bosch's work has very little resemblance to da Vinci's work and are in actuality reflect German and Dutch works where the persecutors of Jesus Christ are depicted as animalistic. [12]

Christ Carrying the Cross is the conclusion of a series by Bosch where he developed his half-figure Passion scenes. This series started with Christ Crowned with Thorns.

Description

Detail of the painting Hieronymus Bosch 056.jpg
Detail of the painting

The work depicts Jesus carrying the cross above a dark background, primarily with black and red tones, [13] surrounded by numerous heads. This painting focuses solely on the face and hands as a source of emotional expression, bodies being faded into the dark background. [14] Most of the heads are characterized with grotesque features. Some describe this distortion as resembling abstract expression. [13] There are a total of eighteen portraits, plus one on St. Veronica's veil. Both Jesus and St. Veronica have their eyes closed and holds a woeful expression with their heads reclining. [13] The depiction of Jesus is almost transparent, which makes the viewer wonder if he is to fade away, questioning if he is to last to the end. [14] The contrast between the expressions of Christ's tormentors and Christ's solemn expression is supposed to express the difference between the selflessness of Jesus and the seething anger of those that are against him. [15]

In the bottom right corner is the impenitent thief, who sneers against three men who are mocking him. The penitent thief (also referred to as other things such as the good/bad thief [16] ) is at top right; he is portrayed with very pale skin, while being confessed by a horribly ugly monk.

The bottom left corner shows Saint Veronica with the Veil of Veronica. Finally, at the top left is Simon of Cyrene, his face upturned .On the veil of Saint Veronica, there is an image of Christ as well. [17] Christ is positioned in the intersection of two diagonals within the piece, the first diagonal being the wooden cross that Jesus and the penitent thief, the second being the line that connects Saint Veronica in the bottom left corner and the impenitent thief in the upper right corner. [17] The first diagonal shows the expression and position of the penitent thief as overwhelming decision to turn to the Lord. [14] Whereas, the impenitent thief clings to his feelings of hate as Christ's executioners do. [14]

Religious symbolism

The faces of agony depicted in the piece are meant to represent a mob that oppose the ideas of Christ and this mob is imbued with the concept of sin. [18] Jesus’s face, along with his likeness in Saint Veronica’s veil, is meant to show Jesus's emotions in his decision to die for the sins of the people. His expression is especially meant to contrast the faces of the mob because they embody the sins that Christ is giving his life for. [18] Saint Veronica’s melancholy facial expression shows a contrast as well, however, this is in reverence to Christ's actions. [18] The intention of the artist was to depict the inner reality of humanity and Jesus’s solitude in his journey. [18] This is meant to show that Christ is the only person that can forgive humanity for their sins and bring the beauty of humanity to the surface. [18]

There are two further versions of the subject by Bosch: a previous one from around 1498, now at the Royal Palace of Madrid, and another in the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna from around 1500.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hieronymus Bosch</span> Dutch painter (c. 1450–1516)

Hieronymus Bosch was a Dutch painter from Brabant. He is one of the most notable representatives of the Early Netherlandish painting school. His work, generally oil on oak wood, mainly contains fantastic illustrations of religious concepts and narratives. Within his lifetime, his work was collected in the Netherlands, Austria, and Spain, and widely copied, especially his macabre and nightmarish depictions of hell.

The Penitent Thief, also known as the Good Thief, Wise Thief, Grateful Thief, or Thief on the Cross, is one of two unnamed thieves in Luke's account of the crucifixion of Jesus in the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke describes him asking Jesus to "remember him" when Jesus comes into his kingdom. The other, as the impenitent thief, challenges Jesus to save himself and both of them to prove that he is the Messiah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impenitent thief</span> Thief crucified alongside Jesus

The impenitent thief is a man described in the New Testament account of the Crucifixion of Jesus. In the Gospel narrative, two bandits are crucified alongside Jesus. In the first two Gospels, they both join the crowd in mocking him. In the version of the Gospel of Luke, however, one taunts Jesus about not saving himself and them, and the other asks for mercy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veil of Veronica</span> Sweat cloth relic of Saint Veronica

The Veil of Veronica, or Sudarium, also known as the Vernicle and often called simply the Veronica, is a Christian relic consisting of a piece of cloth said to bear an image of the Holy Face of Jesus produced by other than human means. Various existing images have been claimed to be the original relic, as well as early copies of it; representations of it are also known as vernicles.

<i>The Garden of Earthly Delights</i> Triptych painting by Hieronymus Bosch

The Garden of Earthly Delights is the modern title given to a triptych oil painting on oak panel painted by the Early Netherlandish master Hieronymus Bosch, between 1490 and 1510, when Bosch was between 40 and 60 years old. Bosch's religious beliefs are unknown, but interpretations of the work typically assume it is a warning against the perils of temptation. The outer panels place the work on the Third Day of Creation. The intricacy of its symbolism, particularly that of the central panel, has led to a wide range of scholarly interpretations over the centuries.

<i>The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things</i> Paintings by Hieronymus Bosch or a follower

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<i>Ecce Homo</i> (Bosch, Frankfurt) Painting by Hieronymus Bosch

Ecce Homo is a painting of the episode in the Passion of Jesus by the Early Netherlandish painter Hieronymus Bosch, painted between 1475 and 1485. The original version, with a provenance in collections in Ghent, is in the Städel Museum in Frankfurt; a copy is held the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The painting takes its title from the Latin words Ecce Homo, "Behold the Man" spoken by the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate when Jesus is paraded before a baying, angry mob in Jerusalem before he is sentenced to be crucified.

<i>Christ Carrying the Cross</i> (Bosch, Madrid) Painting by Hieronymus Bosch

Christ Carrying the Cross is an oil on panel painting created c. 1505–1507 by the Early Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch. It is held at Palacio Real, in Madrid.

<i>Christ Carrying the Cross</i> (Bosch, Vienna) Painting by Hieronymous Bosch

Christ Carrying the Cross is an oil on panel painting by the Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch, executed most likely c. 1490–1500. It is at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, in Vienna, Austria.

<i>St. Jerome at Prayer</i> (Bosch) Painting by Hieronymus Bosch

St. Jerome at Prayer is a painting of St. Jerome by the Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch, thought to have been completed c. 1482. Today it is housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent.

<i>Christ Crowned with Thorns</i> (Bosch, London) Painting by Hieronymus Bosch

Christ Crowned with Thorns, sometimes known as Christ Mocked, is an oil on panel painting by Hieronymus Bosch. It is held in the National Gallery in London, which dates it to around 1510, though some art historians prefer earlier dates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ Carrying the Cross</span> Christ on the road to Golgotha, artistic theme

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvary (monument)</span>

A calvary is a type of monumental public Christian cross, sometimes encased in an open shrine. Usually a calvary has three crosses, that of Jesus Christ and those of impenitent thief and penitent thief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stabat Mater (art)</span> Form of the Crucifixion of Jesus in art with the Virgin Mary and Saint John under the cross

Stabat Mater is a compositional form in the crucifixion of Jesus in art depicting the Virgin Mary under the cross during the crucifixion of Christ alongside John the apostle.

<i>Christ Carrying the Cross</i> (Titian) Painting by Titian or Giorgione

Christ Carrying the Cross is an oil painting attributed to either Titian or Giorgione. It is dated to about 1505. The painting is housed in the Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice, Italy. There are several later versions of the subject by Titian.

<i>Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony</i> 1501 painting by Hieronymus Bosch

The Triptych of Temptation of St. Anthony is an oil painting on wood panels by the Early Netherlandish painter Hieronymus Bosch, dating from around 1501. The work portrays the mental and spiritual torments endured by Saint Anthony the Great, one of the most prominent of the Desert Fathers of Egypt in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries. The Temptation of St. Anthony was a popular subject in Medieval and Renaissance art. In common with many of Bosch's works, the triptych contains much fantastic imagery. The painting hangs in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, in Lisbon.

Christ Carrying the Cross refers to Jesus's journey to his crucifixion.

<i>The Crucifixion</i> (Moskos) Painting by Ioannis Moskos

The Crucifixion is an egg tempera painting created by Ioannis Moskos. Moskos was a Greek painter originally from Crete. He migrated to Venice. Two other painters named Moskos were active during the same period. Their names were Elias Moskos and Leos Moskos. Leos and Ioannis were both in Venice during the same period. Ioannis was a member of the Late Cretan School. He was active from 1650 to 1721. Forty-four of his paintings survived.

<i>The Crucifixion</i> (Margkazinis) Painting by Georgios Markazinis

The Crucifixion is a painting created by Georgio Markazini. Markazini was a Greek painter from the island of Crete. He migrated to Venice. He was active during the middle part of the 17th century. Two of the painter's works survived. The crucifixion was a very popular subject among Cretan painters. Andreas Pavias, Emmanuel Lambardos, and Theophanes the Cretan created a similar style crucifixion. The Cretan painters frequently influenced each other.

<i>The Crucifixion</i> (Paleokapas) Painting by Konstantinos Paleokapas

The Crucifixion is a tempera painting by Konstantinos Paleokapas. Paleokapas was a Greek painter from the island of Crete. He was active during the early part of the 1600s. Six of his works survived, four are signed. The Crucifixion is one of the most popular events in human history. The scene has been duplicated countless times. Many crucifixion paintings were created by painters from the island of Crete. Some painters included El Greco, Andreas Pavias, Georgios Markazinis and Ioannis Moskos. Paleokapas created his own version of the popular subject. His crucifixion painting followed the prototype of many other paintings thematically. He added both the dice players and the resurrection of the dead. Andreas Pavias’s The Crucifixion (Pavias) and Margkazinis’s The Crucifixion (Margkazinis) both feature the popular pictorial representation of Mathews gospel. Paleokapas’s Crucifixion is located at the Gonia Monastery in Crete.

References

  1. ↑ "Christ Carrying the Cross by Bosch in the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent". Flemish Art Collection Website. Retrieved October 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "Hieronymus Bosch".
  3. ↑ Gibson, Walter (January 1, 1984). Hieronymus Bosch: An Annotated Bibliography. G K Hall. ISBN   978-0816183470.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ↑ Lane, Mark Richard (January 27, 2014). "Three Roads to Calvary - Bosch". WordPress. Retrieved October 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ Varallo, Franca (2004). Bosch. Milan: Skira.
  6. ↑ Koldeweij, Vandenbroeck en Vermet (2001): p. 97.
  7. ↑ S. Fischer. Hieronymus Bosch. Complete Works. Köln (Taschen Verlag) 2013.
  8. ↑ F. Koreny. Hieronymus Bosch. Die Zeichnungen. Turnhout (Brepols) 2012.
  9. ↑ Twee beroemde werken toch niet van Jeroen Bosch, NOS, 31 oktober 2015
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "Christ Carrying the Cross by Bosch in the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent". Flemish Art Collection Website. Retrieved October 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. 1 2 Falk, Kurt (2008). The Unknown Hieronymus Bosch. Benson, North Carolina, Montpelier, Vermont, Berkley, California: Goldstone Press, North Atlantic Books, Heaven and Earth Publishing. p. 77. ISBN   978-1-55643-759-5.
  12. 1 2 3 Gibson, Walter (January 1, 1984). Hieronymus Bosch: An Annotated Bibliography. G K Hall. ISBN   978-0816183470.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  13. 1 2 3 Snyder, James (1980). The Man and His Paintings: Heronymus Bosch. New York, New York: Excalibur Books. pp. 30, 52. ISBN   0-89673-060-3.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Falk, Kurt (2008). The Unknown Hieronymus Bosch. Benson, North Carolina, Montpelier, Vermont, Berkley, California: Goldstone Press, North Atlantic Books, Heaven and Earth Publishing. p. 77. ISBN   978-1-55643-759-5.
  15. ↑ Gibson, Walter (January 1, 1984). Hieronymus Bosch: An Annotated Bibliography. G K Hall. ISBN   978-0816183470.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  16. ↑ Lane, Mark Richard (January 27, 2014). "Three Roads to Calvary - Bosch". WordPress. Retrieved October 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. 1 2 "Christ Carrying the Cross". Flemish Art Collection Website. Retrieved October 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Lane, Mark Richard (January 27, 2014). "Three Roads to Calvary - Bosch". WordPress. Retrieved October 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

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