Raising of Cross (1611). The Elevation of the Cross is the name of two paintings, a very large triptych in oil on panel and a much smaller oil on paper painting. Both pieces were painted by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp, Belgium, the original in 1610 and the latter in 1638. The original is in the Cathedral of Our Lady, as the church for which it was painted has been destroyed. The smaller version is now in the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada. Another smaller triptych with a different composition, and an oil study, are in the Louvre in Paris. Peter Paul Rubens painted the triptych The Elevation of the Cross after returning to Antwerp from Italy in 1610-1611 as commissioned by the church authorities of the Church of St. Walburga. Cornelis van der Geest, a wealthy merchant and churchwarden of the Church of St. Walburga, secured this commission for Rubens and funded the majority of the project. Under Napoleon's rule, the emperor took the painting, along with Peter Paul Rubens's The Descent from the Cross, to Paris. The paintings were returned to Antwerp in 1815, but since St. Walburga had been destroyed, they were placed in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp instead. The Antwerp triptych was positioned above the high altar preceded by a set of stairs, making it visible from a great distance in the vast Gothic cathedral of St. Walburga. This height was unusual for an altarpiece indicating its important presence in St. Walburga. While it was present in St. Walburga, the painting was surrounded on all sides by images of God the Father, Christ, angels, and at the top of the structure was a wood pelican, which was a common representation of Christ's sacrifice based on a folk lore associated with the bird feeding its young with its own blood. Jesus Christ and the elevation of his cross are the focal points for this artwork, with features of the story overflowing from the middle panel onto the wings on both sides. This altarpiece is an early attempt by Ruben's to employ the intensity of the Baroque style. The setting is dark and restless as the group of spectators, soldiers, horses, and the strained bodies of the executioners surround the soon-to-be crucified Christ. Jesus' body is a picture of classical nobility; with arms raised and gaze turned upward, Rubens emphasizes Christ's willing sacrifice over the horrors of his crucifixion. Christ's suffering is made apparent in his strained and tense body, hands clenched tight around the nails in his hands, and his head contorted in the last moments of agonizing pain. The three panels together work harmoniously, creating a continuous scene. The central panel illustrates a tension between the multitude of massively muscled men attempting to lift the cross and the seemingly unbearable weight of Christ on the cross. In the left wing, the Virgin and Saint John are identified in a group of onlookers, horrified to see the executioners perform their duties. The thieves in the right wing are being prepared for execution as the Roman officers issue their orders. Rubens also paints the outside of the wings, illustrating four saints that were venerated in Flanders during this time period. On the far left stands St. Amandus clothed impressively in bishop robes, with St. Walburga positioned alongside him. On the right outer wing stands Saint Catherine of Alexandria, accompanied by Saint Eligius. The work shows the clear influence of Italian Renaissance and Baroque artists such as Caravaggio, Tintoretto and Michelangelo. Peter Paul Rubens's foreshortening is evident in the contortions of the struggling, strapping men, which is reminiscent of Tintoretto's Crucifixion in the Scuola di San Rocco in Venice. Rubens's version creates a more compelling, intense and emotional response through the re-positioning of Christ. Christ cuts across the central panel in diagonally, akin to Caravaggio's Entombment where both descent and ascent are in play at a key moment. Rubens represents light with tenebrism, reflecting on the influence of Caravaggio. Christ's perfectly molded body alludes to the nude figures painted by Michelangelo on the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. The Council of Trent played a significant role in the subject matter and themes of Rubens painting. Ruben emanates the spirit of the Counter-Reformation by representing the victorious nature of Christ's death while maintaining his divine nature. The Elevation of the Cross is a accurate biblical representation of the crucifixion of Christ, in keeping with the specific guidelines for art as produced by the Council of Trent. Peter Paul Rubens's was not fully responsible for the creation of this artwork, which is the reality for many of Rubens's paintings.