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Christ and the penitent sinners by Peter Paul Rubens

Christ and the penitent sinners by Peter Paul Rubens

Christ and the Penitent Sinners or Christ with the four great penitents is a 1617 oil painting by Peter Paul Rubens. It is now in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.


The painting depicts Jesus Christ with an adoring Mary Magdalene, Saint Peter (who denied Christ three times), Dismas (the penitent thief from the Crucifixion) and King David (who committed adultery with Bathsheba).

Details

Created
1617
Medium
oil on panel
Dimension
128cm × 144cm
Passage
Luke 23:26-43
Housed at
Alte Pinakothek Barer Straße 27, Munich

Found in: Luke, Luke 23, 17th century, David, Mary Magdalene, Peter

Luke 23:26-43

26 When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.

27 A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him.

28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29 For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’

30 Then they will begin to tell the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and tell the hills, ‘Cover us.’

31 For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?”

32 There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.

33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.

35 The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”

36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,

37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

38 An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

39 One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”

40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:26-43 · World English Bible

The artist

Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens

1577 - 1640

Siegen, Germany

Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish artist. He is considered the most influential artist of Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens's highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, colour, and sensuality, which followed the immediate, dramatic artistic style promoted in the Counter-Reformation. Rubens specialized in making altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.

Read more about Peter Paul Rubens →

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Christ Risen by Peter Paul Rubens
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Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen, 1577 - 1640)
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