Artwork
Christ Bearing the Cross (Kreuztragung)
Christ Bearing the Cross (Kreuztragung) is an ink print by Lovis Corinth. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: Weinet nicht über mich, sondern über Euch & eure Kinder! Ev. Lukas; lower right in graphite: Lovis Corinth; lower left verso in graphite by unknown hand: Schw. 263
- Markings
- Marked:verso, stamp in black ink: SM
About this work
Overview
Christ Bearing the Cross (Kreuztragung), a 1916 drypoint print on Japanese paper by Lovis Corinth, depicts a chaotic scene of Christ carrying the cross, characterized by rough, expressive lines and blurred forms.
Subject & Meaning
The print belongs to the religious genre, portraying a pivotal moment in Christian iconography. The hunched figure of Christ, surrounded by a frenzied crowd, conveys a sense of turmoil and distress.
Technique & Style
Executed in drypoint, the work features jagged, scratchy lines, evoking the immediacy of a rapid sketch. This technique, combined with the loose application, reflects Corinth's post-1911 shift towards expressionism, marked by increased expressiveness and spontaneity.
History & Provenance
Created in 1916, after Corinth's stylistic transformation following a stroke in 1911. The artist's background includes training in Paris and Munich, and presidency of the Berlin Secession, influencing his unique blend of impressionist and expressionist tendencies.
Context
Part of a broader early 20th-century artistic movement in Europe that saw a resurgence of interest in religious themes through the lens of modern stylistic innovations, particularly expressionism.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of this print are not highlighted, it contributes to Corinth's overall legacy as a pivotal figure in bridging impressionism and expressionism in early 20th-century German art.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Lovis Corinth (21 July 1858 – 17 July 1925) was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism.
- Die Versuchung des heiligen Antonius (The Temptation of Saint Anthony)
Kreuzigung, nach dem Altarbild in Tölz (Crucifixion, after the Altarpiece at Tölz)
Revolt (Aufruhr)
The Triumph of Death: The Proclamation
The Germans Arrive
Le Christ dépouillé de ses vêtements (Christ Stripped of His Clothes)
Les notables (petite planche) (The Notables) (small plate)
La route d'Emmaüs (1ère planche) (The Road to Emmaus) (first plate)
Untitled
Le Christ portant sa croix (7e planche) (Christ Carrying the Cross) (seventh plate)
The Triumph of Death: Proclamation (Le triomphe de la mort: La proclamation)
Le Christ portant sa croix (5e planche) (Christ Carrying the Cross) (fifth plate)