We focused today on Baroque art from Flanders and Holland, who despite being neighbors, created drastically different art. The Northern part of the Netherlands, known then as the Dutch Republic or now as Holland, was Protestant. While the southern part of the Netherlands, the Spanish Netherlands or Belgium, remained staunchly Catholic. Also the great trade and shipping empire created by the Dutch Republic lead to the development of a wealthy middle class that was able to purchase art from the open market. This is not as much a feature seen in the South where art was based on commission.
The most influential painter from this area was Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens had traveled to Italy and was greatly influenced by the works he saw from artists such as Titan, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. When he returned to Flanders he incorporated a lot of the distinctive features of these artists into his own works. The Elevation of the Cross features a traditional triptych design, similar to the Merode Triptych which was made almost 200 years prior, and is ment to harken back to the “good ol days” of the Catholic Church before the Reformation. The scene shows a true snapshot image of the moment as Christ, after being nailed to cross, is raised up. The men lifting him strain their muscles dramictly and twist their bodies in Michelangelo like contortions. The left panel contains the friends and followers of Christ, who are contrasted by the right panel which shows the soldiers and thieves that are also being crucified with Christ.