The two ways of depicting the procession of Christ to Calvary
Year mention: 1649
Subject:
Passion of Christ ; the procession to Calvary with the cross
Conflict:
Agent:
Pacheco, Francisco
Jeronimo Nadal, Christ Carrying the Cross (Passion of Christ), plate 124 from Evangelicae and Adnotationes (1593), which engravings illustrate the Biblia Natalis
Internet archive (original from Getty Research Institute)

The iconography of Passion of Christ was an important topic for Pacheco. When the author analysed the scene of “The procession to Calvary with the cross”, he examined the scene in which Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross. It can be depicted in two manners according to the author: Cyrene helping Christ behind him, carrying the end of the Cross; or Jesus Christ would have passed it to the shoulder of Cyrene so that he carried it alone. Pacheco states should not be reprehended if painted in one way or the other.

“Fr. Nadal divided it into three stories: the first, when the Lord carries it in Pilate’s house, the second, when he goes out with all the troops through the gate of the City; the third, when he is fallen to the ground and behind him the Cyrenean, alone, with the Cross on his shoulders; and he says that it is the presumption of the pious, that he arrived with it until the Calvary from which we conclude that we should not reprehend painting it in one way or the other; because, if it is helping Christ behind him, carrying the end of the Cross, it goes with the St.s who favour not having left it behind Christ until Calvary; if having passed it to the shoulder of the Cyrenean, so that he carried it alone, the opinions of the St.s who find mystery, in this case, are favoured, as was proved, at great length, by Don Antonio de Guevara, Bishop of Mondoñedo [. ..]”.

“el P. Nadal dividiò ésta en tres historias: la primera, cuando carga con ella el Señor en casa de Pilatos, la segunda, cuando sale con toda la tropa por la puerta de Ciudad; la tercera, cuando está caído en tierra y detrás dél el Cireneo, solo, con la Cruz sobre sus hombros; y dice que es presunción de piadosos, que llegó con ella al Calvario de donde sacamos por conclusión que no se debe reprehender el pintarlo de la una, o de la otra manera; porque, si es ayudando a Cristo detrás del, llevando el cabo de la Cruz, se va con los santos que favorecen no haberla dexado Cristo hasta el Calvario; si el haberla pasado al hombro del Cireneo, para que la llevase solo, se favorecen los pareceres de los santos que hallan en este caso misterio como probó, muy a la larga, don Antonio de Guevara, o bispo de Mondoñedo […]”.

Quoted Authorities

Molanus,Book. 2, XXX, 91
Priest Antonio de Guevara, Primera Parte del libro llamado Monte Calvario (1545), 18, 31r-31v.

Model to follow

Jeronimo Nadal, Evangelicae Historiae Imagines (1593), plate 124-126

Keywords
Calvary, Christ, Golgotha, New Testament, Passion of Christ, procession, Simon of Cyrene

Date mention
1649

Historical Location
Antwerp

Type of Object
printmaking

Iconclass Number
73D4; 73D42

Source
Pacheco, El Arte de la pintura (1649), book 3, ch.13, 646-647
Literature

Pacheco 1990, 647, n.38;

Permanent Link
https://www.sacrima.eu/case/the-two-ways-of-depicting-the-procession-of-christ-to-calvary-with-the-cross-with-the-cyrenean/