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Christ Carrying the Cross

Italian 16th Century

1650

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

Christ Carrying the Cross is a 1650 chalk by Italian 16th Century, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Italian 16th Century
When & what style?: 1650 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a tired-looking Jesus carrying a cross, with a crowd of people around him. Some are watching, others are helping or stumbling. The lines are simple but busy, with quick strokes and shading to show faces and clothes. The artist used faint red chalk for light areas and darker brown ink for shadows, giving it a soft but detailed look. The paper has a textured, aged feel, like old paper. Next, check out *cross-hatching* to see how artists build up shadows with lines.