Who painted The carrying of the cross?

The carrying of the cross was painted by Jacob Jordaens in 1657-01-01.

Where can I see The carrying of the cross?

The carrying of the cross is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is The carrying of the cross?

The carrying of the cross is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.

Can I buy a print of The carrying of the cross?

Museum-quality prints of The carrying of the cross are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The carrying of the cross

Jacob Jordaens , 1657

The carrying of the cross is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Jacob Jordaens. It dates from 1657 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, a standard support for Jacob Jordaens's large-scale religious productions of this period.

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, a standard support for Jacob Jordaens's large-scale religious productions of this period. Its substantial dimensions, 239 cm in height and 174.5 cm in width, indicate a major vertical composition suited to an altarpiece or devotional setting, consistent with its religious subject of Christ carrying the cross.

Dated 1657 and produced in Antwerp, the painting belongs to the late phase of Jordaens's career, when his robust handling of paint, warm palette, and emphasis on muscular, emotionally charged figures were characteristic. The canvas support and oil medium allowed for the layered, vigorous brushwork typical of his Baroque style.

History & Provenance

Painted in 1657, this work was created in Antwerp by Jacob Jordaens. By 1808 it had entered the collection of the Amsterdam city gallery, which later became the Rijksmuseum; the museum still holds the painting today. The canvas measures 239 cm in height and 174.5 cm in width.

Jacob Jordaens' oil painting The Carrying of the Cross, dated 1657, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work is executed on canvas and measures 239 cm in height by 174.5 cm in width. While the artwork is confirmed to be part of the museum's permanent holdings, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they record any past or future exhibition history for this piece.

Overview

Jacob Jordaens’ 1657 oil painting The Carrying of the Cross presents a dramatic moment from the Passion of Christ. A naked figure, his torso wrapped only in a white cloth, bears a massive wooden cross while a crowd of richly dressed onlookers surrounds him, their gestures ranging from prayerful supplication to concerned observation. A cloudy sky and distant hills complete the composition, emphasizing the solemn atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure represents Jesus Christ in the final stages of his journey to Golgotha, his twisted posture and downcast gaze conveying physical strain and spiritual resignation. The surrounding figures, rendered in vivid garments, embody the varied human responses to suffering, compassion, awe, and pleading, highlighting the narrative’s emotional complexity and inviting contemplation of faith and sacrifice.