Curatorial Notes
Brutal tormentors surround the suffering figure of Jesus as he carries his cross to Calvary, the site of his crucifixion. In the upper-left corner, his mother, Mary, and her companion are also reviled by the crowd. Like many German Late Gothic images of Christ’s Passion, this painting reflects the prophetic words of Psalm 22, which describe how Jesus will be persecuted with ridiculing facial expressions, offensive gestures, and physical torture. The panel was probably intended as a focal point for individual meditation, perhaps as part of a small, portable altarpiece. It is the only surviving panel painting by an artist whose expressive style was highly influential in Southern Germany in the early 15th century.
Artwork Identification
Title Christ Carrying the Cross
Title (PT) Cristo Carregando a Cruz
Title (ES) Cristo con la Cruz a Cuestas
Artist Master of the Worcester Carrying of the Cross
Artist Bio Master of the Worcester Carrying of the Cross (active c. 1400–c. 1450)
Date c. 1425
Work Type Painting
Location & Collection
Institution Art Institute of Chicago
Source View Museum Page
License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
