This painting, titled Descent from the Cross is by Flemish Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens in his most realistic mood.

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Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a Flemish Baroque painter. He was greatly acclaimed in his day and is regarded today as one of the foremost of the Western World's artists. This painting, which is housed in the National Gallery in London, is titled Descent from the Cross. Here we have Rubens in his most realistic mood and in all his strength. Not only is the composition of a very complicated picture quite masterly and the color scheme most happily distributed, but the contrast in the expression on the faces round the dead Christ is expressed in most dramatic fashion. The eye and the mind see the tragic drama at the same moment. Although the subject had been treated hundreds of times already, the painter found it possible to give the theme a fresh and enduring expression.

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Size: 3631px × 5040px
Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: artist, baroque, christ, christianity, cross, crucifixion, death, descent, flemish, gallery, jesus, london, national, painter, painting, paul, peter, resurrection, rubens, style