The Carrying Of The Cross – Hendrick Goltzius (1558 – 1617)

"Christ Carrying the Cross" or "The Ascent to Calvary," Hendrick Goltzius, circa 1596–1598.
Our print is one of twelve engravings illustrating the Passion of Christ that Goltzius created between 1596 and 1598. These engravings reflect the influence of the Dutch artist Lucas van Leyden, both in the choice of figures and in the engraving technique itself. Contrary to his usual graphic style, characterized by an expressive line that broadens and narrows around the figures and background, Goltzius here uses fine, regular lines, interspersed with long, straight hatching, characteristic of van Leyden's style. In Northern Europe, at the end of the 16th century, there was a renewed interest in Lucas's work, and this series is part of that context. The same is true of Goltzius's famous Pietà, inspired by Albrecht Dürer, as well as the Circumcision and the Adoration of the Magi, from his series "The Life of the Virgin." The Passion of Christ series enjoyed immense popularity during Goltzius's lifetime and long after his death. Goltzius's interlaced monogram HG is located at the bottom of the print, alongside a collector's stamp in red ink (two interlaced Cs to be identified).

Our engraving is presented under a beveled mat, protected by anti-reflective, UV-resistant glass, in a wide blackened wood frame. Dimensions: 20 x 13.5 cm sheet – 40.5 x 34 cm with frame.

Biography: Hendrick Goltzius (Mülbracht 1558 – Haarlem, January 1, 1617) was born into a family of painters but began his artistic career as an apprentice to the engraver Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert in 1574. He followed his master to Haarlem in 1577, where he worked until the end of his life, with the exception of a stay in Italy in 1591, which had a considerable impact on his art. His friend, Karel van Mander, described the influence of the "gentle paintings of Raphael" but especially the "naturalism of skin in Correggio's paintings," the "important contrasts of light and shadow in Titian," and the "superb materials and fabrics of Veronese." These discoveries led him to abandon the late Mannerism of his early career in favor of a more classical approach based on the late Renaissance, and to take up oil painting, a medium he had not previously practiced. In 1582, Goltzius opened his own printing press, which allowed him to distribute his engravings and become considerably wealthy. Having suffered from poor health throughout his life, he died in 1617, his funeral being commemorated by the ringing of the bells in Haarlem for half an hour.