Artwork
Kreuzabnahme (Kopie nach)

Kreuzabnahme (Kopie nach) is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1647 by Rembrandt van Rijn, this oil painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is classified within the religious genre. It is currently held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The work portrays a moment from the Passion narrative, focusing on the physical burden of the cross.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a man burdened with a heavy wooden cross, his posture bent and his face concealed, emphasizing the weight of suffering. Flanking him are two assistants who share the load, while a third onlooker watches, suggesting a contemplative observation of the event’s gravity.
Technique & Style
Rembrandt employs a stark chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with a concentrated light source that isolates the figures. The brushwork is loose and textured, lending a tactile, almost turbulent quality to the scene and enhancing the dramatic tension between light and darkness.
History & Provenance
The painting, a copy after an earlier composition, entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the 19th century. Its attribution to Rembrandt reflects the artist’s broader interest in biblical and historical subjects beyond his renowned portraiture, illustrating his versatility within the period’s artistic production.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.



















