Since Marywood University has taken a few days off of school to celebrate Easter, I have decided to shine the artist spotlight on a famous painter who beautifully depicted some biblical events surrounding the holiday.

Peter Paul Rubens painted, “Elevation of the Cross,” in 1610 using oil paints on panel. The whole painting is made up of three panels about fifteen feet tall and thirteen feet wide.

This painting was created during the Baroque period in Northern Europe. It depicts an emotional scene from the Bible where men are lifting The Christ on the cross.

Rubens studied the figure deeply and portrayed the muscles and bones within each figure with a great contrast and array of colors. The human body was a common theme throughout all of Rubens’ work no matter the gender or if the figure was nude or not.

In order to make his work successful, Peter Paul Rubens studied the Italian masters of his time and copied other works to enhance his drawing skills.

Other famous Rubens’ paintings are:

“The Descent from the Cross,” 1614

“The Judgement of Paris,” 1639