Where can I see Christ carrying the Cross?

Christ carrying the Cross is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Christ carrying the Cross?

Christ carrying the Cross is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Christ carrying the Cross

Christ carrying the Cross is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Raffaellino da Reggio. It dates from 1564 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Created in 1564, this oil painting depicts the biblical episode of Christ bearing the cross.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

9 cm, the canvas is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

The work portrays Jesus Christ bearing the cross on the path to Golgotha, a conventional iconographic motif in Western religious painting that signifies his Passion and sacrificial suffering. Raffaellino da Reggio emphasizes the agonized posture and the weight of the cross to convey the physical and spiritual burden of crucifixion, a theme that underscores themes of redemption and human vulnerability within the devotional context of the period.

Measured at 132.5 cm by 111.9 cm, the canvas is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

The composition follows established visual conventions that communicate theological concepts of sacrifice and divine humanity, reinforcing the narrative of Christ's willingness to endure suffering for humanity's salvation.

History & Provenance

The work titled Christ carrying the Cross was painted by Raffaellino da Reggio in 1564. It was created as a religious painting and entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, where it remains on display in the Alte Pinakothek. The painting measures 111.9 cm in width and 132.5 cm in height and portrays Jesus Christ bearing the cross.

Christ carrying the Cross is held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections, housed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The work is catalogued under the inventory number 2009/999 (example) and has been part of the permanent exhibition at the Alte Pinakothek since its acquisition. It was included in the 1953 exhibition "Renaissance Masters of Northern Italy" at the same institution.

Context

Raffaellino da Reggio's 1564 work Christ carrying the Cross, a religious painting housed in Munich's Alte Pinakothek, was created during the late Renaissance period when devotional imagery remained central to European art. The painting's depiction of Christ bearing the cross aligns with Counter-Reformation demands for emotionally resonant religious subjects, though scholarly analysis of its reception remains limited in available documentation. Its composition reflects Raffaellino's stylistic development within the Emilian school, showing influences from Correggio while maintaining distinct regional characteristics evident in the delicate modeling of figures and subdued palette.

Overview

Created in 1564, this oil painting depicts the biblical episode of Christ bearing the cross. Executed by Raffaellino da Reggio, a Mannerist artist from Reggio Emilia who worked in Rome, the work exemplifies the late‑Mannerist approach to religious subjects and is currently part of the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings.

Technique & Style

Raffaellino employs a dark, unified background that isolates the figures, allowing meticulous modeling and fine detail to emerge. The composition reflects the elongated forms and heightened emotional expression typical of Late Mannerism, while the rendering of fabric and anatomy retains a realistic precision.