Artwork
Christ on the Cross
Christ on the Cross is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Anthony van Dyck. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a work of religious art, the composition focuses entirely on the figure of Jesus suspended on the cross, adhering to traditional iconography of the Passion.
Anthony van Dyck's 1620 painting depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a central event in Christian theology. As a work of religious art, the composition focuses entirely on the figure of Jesus suspended on the cross, adhering to traditional iconography of the Passion. The image serves as a visual representation of the sacrifice of Christ, intended to evoke devotion and contemplation of his suffering.
By isolating the main subject against an unadorned background, the artist emphasizes the physical and spiritual weight of the crucifixion.
Technique & Style
Christ on the Cross is a religious painting by Anthony van Dyck, dated 1620, and classified as a painting within the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The work measures 110 cm in height by 72.4 cm in width, indicating a modest vertical format suited to an intimate devotional image. Its subject is the crucifixion of Jesus, rendered in the religious genre tradition. The painting is held at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Beyond these cataloging details, the sources do not specify the medium, support, particular pigments, or handling, nor do they describe the work's condition, stylistic characteristics, or formal qualities.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1620 as a religious work depicting the crucifixion of Jesus. It was produced by Anthony van Dyck for the Bavarian State Painting Collections, which continues to own and exhibit the piece at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The work entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections shortly after its creation and has remained in their custody, establishing a clear ownership chain from the artist to the institution.
Christ on the Cross by Anthony van Dyck, dated 1620, is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections and housed at the Alte Pinakothek. Within that collection it is catalogued under the inventory designation BStGS 1015. The painting, a religious work depicting the crucifixion of Jesus, measures 110 cm in height by 72.4 cm in width.
No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
A Flemish Baroque painting from 1620, Christ on the Cross was produced by Anthony van Dyck during the early phase of his independent career. The work is now preserved in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it forms part of a major collection of European painting. Van Dyck, born in Antwerp in 1599 to a family of silk merchants, had completed his apprenticeship under Peter Paul Rubens by the time he executed this canvas.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Anthony van Dyck (; Dutch: Antoon van Dijck; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque artist, who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy.
