Christ Carrying the Cross, Workshop of Michael Coxie (Mechelen, 1499 – Mechelen, 1592)

Christ Carrying the Cross Oil on panel (85 x 57 cm. - in frame 112 x 85 cm.) PAINTING DETAILS (CLICK HERE) The painting presented, a work by a painter from the workshop of the renowned Flemish master Michael Coxie (Mechelen, 1499 – Mechelen, 1592), reinterprets one of the celebrated compositions of the great master. Coxie brilliantly tackled this classic of religious painting on several occasions, where his dramatic style is realized through a masterful play of light and shadow. Specifically, this is a notable interpretation of Christ Carrying the Cross, immortalized in a moment of intimate and dramatic suffering as he embraces and supports the heavy wooden cross on his journey to Mount Calvary. After enduring the mockery and torture of his tormentors, he is burdened with the weight of the cross, beginning the ascent to Calvary, where he will find his death. Although this is an iconographic formula that traditionally identifies a dramatic moment of the Passion, focusing attention on Christ's suffering, we see him depicted here without any sign of the torture he suffered, except for the crown of thorns on his head. His body appears strong and healthy, not yielding to the weight of the cross, and his face carries a thoughtful and resigned expression. The painting draws upon, albeit with modifications, the model of Christ Holding the Cross created around 1555 by Coxie and now housed in the Museo de Bellas Artes in Valencia (img. 1). The work is strongly influenced by Italian classicism – Coxie indeed spent many years in Rome, earning the nickname the "Flemish Raphael" – combining Northern precision in drapery and flesh tones with profound monumental expressiveness. Several period versions and copies of this powerful composition are known, connected to the artist and his workshop, some depicting only Christ with the cross, others with additional figures, and are preserved in important international collections and museums. Among these, we can mention: - M. Coxie, Christ Carrying the Cross, Lázaro Galdiano Museum, Madrid (img. 2), https://rkd.nl/images/272117 - M. Coxie (circle), Christ Carrying the Cross, Utrecht, Museum Catharijneconvent (img. 3), https://rkd.nl/images/59999 - M. Coxie (circle), Christ Carrying the Cross, Utrecht, Museum Catharijneconvent (img. 4), https://rkd.nl/images/28204 - M. Coxie, Christ Carrying the Cross, Private collection, Brussels (img. 5), https://rkd.nl/images/271911 - M. Coxie (workshop), Christ Carrying the Cross, Bonhams, London (07/11/2001, lot 31) (img. 6), https://rkd.nl/images/107863 - M. Coxie (attr.), Christ Carrying the Cross, Christie's, New York (05/22/2024, lot 75) (img. 7), https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/master-paintings/christ-carrying-the-cross ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting comes complete with a pleasant antique frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and organize the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. Should you wish to view this or other works in person, we will be happy to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Contact us for any information or to arrange a visit, we will be happy to answer you. Follow us also on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/