Offered by Arte Fact Fine Art
17th century old master painting depicting the elevation of the Cross during the Crucifixion of Christ, by Gerard de la Vallée
Our painting is signed, it is registered in the RKD under number 201166. It has furthermore also been seen by the Cabinet Turquin, who also confirmed the authorship.
In the present captivating painting Christ on the cross is depicted against a flaming sky, with an intensely coloured sun emerging from behind the dark clouds. Christ wears a crown of thorns in the picture, and there are only wounds on his hands and feet visible. His glazy eyes appear to be filled with tears and are full of emotion. Our painting is based on the iconic "Elevation of the Cross" by Peter Paul Rubens, which is currently housed in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, yet is is painted in the quintessentially characteristic style of Gerard de la Vallée.
Gerard de la Vallée was a Flemish painter born in 1596 or 1597. He mainly focused on landscapes and biblical or historical scenes, his work are imbued by the spirit of the great Flemish artworks of the early 17th century. Many of his works were created for the export market. The artist’s travels took him across Europe; he was recorded in Mechelen on 3 July 1620 and was active in Paris from 1620 to 1625. In 1625 he is again recorded in Mechelen where he produced a painting for the Baroque church called the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-over-de-Dijlekerk. In the guild year 1626-1627 he was documented in Antwerp when he registered as a master in the local Guild of Saint Luke under the name Geeraert de la Vallee. A record dated 1636 of the artist acting as a witness for Guillam Forchondt and N. Lemmens is evidence that he was still in Antwerp at the time. He was recorded in Rome in 1648, living in a house with 'Gulielmo Wandaim' (possibly Willem van der Eem/Heem ?) on Isola dei Toscanelli in the parish of Sant' Andrea delle Fratte, but is believed to have return to Antwerp once again. De la Vallee worked for the Forchondt workshop, which was one of the most important exporters of Flemish art to all corners of Europe and to South America. Many of the works produced in the Forchondt workshop, including those of Gerard de la Vallée, used copper as the support. This made it easier to export them from Antwerp to Seville where Forchondt had a trading post. From Seville the artworks where shipped through Cádiz to Vera Cruz (Mexico) where they were sold to local convents.
"The Elevation of the Cross" in a biblical context refers to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a pivotal moment in Christianity, representing the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of humanity. It's a symbol of the central Christian belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event is described in the New Testament Gospels, including Matthew 27:32-56, Mark 15:21-41, Luke 23:26-49, and John 19:17-37. The term "Elevation of the Cross" symbolizes the moment when Jesus was lifted up on the cross to be crucified, representing. His sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of humanity, are central to Christian faith and belief.
Peter Paul Rubens' famous painting by the same name visually captures this significant biblical event. It was painted in 1610-1611 and is known for its dramatic and dynamic composition. The central panel of the triptych depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, with Christ being elevated on the cross. The painting is celebrated for its vivid and powerful portrayal of this religious event and is considered one of Rubens' masterpieces.
Literature on the artist:
*Neeffs 1876 , vol. 1, p. 301
*Rombouts/Van Lerius 1872/1961 , vol. 1, p. 637
*Neeffs 1876 , vol.1, p. 301 (concerning Gerard van den Dale)
*Hoogewerff 1942 , p. 240
*Duverger 1984-2004 , vol. 4 (1989), p. 324-326, no. 1091; p. 370-371 no. 1121; vol. 5 (1991), p. 344ff no. 1430; vol. 9 (1997) p. 460-464 no. 3009 (no. 1091 dated 27 January 1640: probate inventory of Francois de la Vallée, corn merchant and brandy distiller; no. 1121 dated 22 September 1640; Gerard signed as a witness; no. 1430 dated 3 August 1646, probate inventory of Jan van Ommel, Vallée is among the many debtors; no. 3009 dated 23, 25-26 and 31 August 1673, probate inventory of Cornelis Worms, bookdealer and husband of Maria Magdalena de la Vallée. Gerard signed as a witness for his sister.)
*De Maere/Wabbes et al. 1994 , p. 254 (under Lavallée, Geeraert De)
*Levert 2017A , Dossier prosopographique
*H. Pauwels, 'Gerard de la Vallée, een onbekend zeventiende-eeuws landschapsschilder', Bulletin Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België 34-37 (1985-1988), p. 203-208
The oil on copper measures ca. 72 by 89 cms with frame and 82 by 99 cms.
Provenance:
Private Collection France
