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Christ Bearing the Cross

German 15th Century

1500

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Christ Bearing the Cross is a 1500 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: German 15th Century
When & what style?: 1500 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This small painting shows a group of people carrying a wooden cross. The man in the center, with a halo, looks tired as he holds the cross. Around him, others help—some pull, some push—while angels watch from above. The background is simple, with a few rocks and a small bird perched below. Notice how the colors are bright but flat, with bold outlines. The artist used simple shapes and bright colors to tell the story. This style was common in early printed images. Look up woodcut to see how artists made prints like this before photography.