Christ on the Cross 1549 - 1598

Gillis Mostaert painted this Christ on the Cross in the late 16th century. Mostaert was from Antwerp, now in Belgium, which at the time was under Spanish rule. This painting of Christ on the cross is set against the backdrop of a bustling city, filled with people going about their daily lives. The painting uses familiar visual codes to tell its story. The skull at the foot of the cross reminds us of death, while the city in the background represents the world that Christ came to save. The soldiers on horseback remind us of the political context of Jesus’s execution as a challenge to Roman authority. Paintings like this served a public role, reinforcing religious beliefs, and shaping viewers' understanding of their place in the world. To understand this work better, we can look at historical documents, religious texts, and other artworks from the period to understand the complex interplay of faith, politics, and social life in Mostaert’s Antwerp.