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The Descent from the Cross is the central panel of a triptych painting by the Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens in 1612–1614. It is still in its original place, the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium. The painting is considered to be one of Rubens' masterpieces. The painting depicts the moment when the body of Jesus Christ is taken down from the cross after his crucifixion. The subject was one Rubens returned to again and again in his career. The artwork was commissioned on September 7, 1611, by the Confraternity of the Arquebusiers, whose patron saint was St. Christopher.

History

In general, the painting has its origins in the Italian artistic tradition, influenced by the Mannerist style of artists such as Francesco Salviati, Federico Barocci, Jacopino del Conte, Cigoli, and Daniele da Volterra. These artists may have been inspired by the ideas of Michelangelo and earlier examples from the fifteenth century. However, Rubens' painting stands apart from the dramatic Italian artists in its depiction of the ritualistic and solemn lowering of Christ's body from the Cross into the arms of the believers.

In 1794, the occupying French army removed this painting and The Elevation of the Cross and sent them to the Louvre. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars, they were returned to the cathedral in 1815.

Along with The Elevation of The Cross, The Descent From The Cross was stolen again in 1914 by the Imperial German Army and taken to Berlin, where both triptychs were kept in the Berlin Palace until after the Armistice of November 11, 1918 when they were returned to the Cathedral.

Counter-Reformation Context

In The Descent from the Cross, Rubens highlights the triumphant element of the cross. The painting depicts the moment when Christ's body is taken down from the cross, and is similarly full of drama and emotion. The figures in the painting are depicted with exaggerated expressions of grief and sadness, emphasizing the emotional impact of Christ's death. The painting invites the viewer to reflect on the importance of Christ's sacrifice and to deepen their emotional devotion to him. The image serves to remind the faithful of Christ's divine nature. During the Counter-Reformation period, Catholic art required portrayal of the suffering Savior that was more heroic and godly in appearance. Beside the interpretation of Christ's sacrifice, the Catholic Church during the Counter Reformation also required accurate depictions of biblical events such as the Life of the Virgin, the Life of Christ, and the stories of the saints recommended after the Council of Trent.

Rubens transformed the representation of the Virgin from a portrayal of frailty and agony to one of fortitude and bravery based on the Gospel of Saint John (Jn.19:25). The painting emphasis the aspect of Counter Reformation Catholicism. In the Co-redemptrix doctrine, the Virgin is a crucial figure. She shares the work of Redemption with her Son and participates in the divine task of saving humanity. Mary's role as a co-Redeemer was emphasized, in contrast to Protestants who limited or even denied the importance of honoring Mary.

The piece of art portrays Saint Christopher, who belongs to the group of Fourteen Holy Helpers. It combines the popular story of a devout giant carrying the baby Jesus on his back across a river with a representation that emphasizes humanistic ennoblement. While some humanists regarded the veneration of Saint Christopher as a form of superstition, Saint Christopher is used here as a metaphor for the Eucharist, which is a central Catholic belief in the physical presence of Christ's body during Mass and a theme that contrasts with Protestant views.

Subject Matter

The deposition of the dead Christ from the Cross has been a symbolic theme since the fifteen century. Rubens got the idea for the painting Descent from the Cross before he was commissioned by the Harquebusiers. Unlike The Descent from the Cross (van der Weyden), Christ's body is lowered down carefully by group of men. Ruben uses the white shroud that is around Christ’s body, to make it more complicated.

节选，摘自英文维基百科「The Descent from the Cross (Rubens, 1612–1614)」，按 CC BY-SA 4.0 使用。