20 July 2012 Moving Beyond Belief This critique paper is the very first critique paper for art I have ever done. When reviewing the different paintings that I had to choose from to write my paper on, none of them caught my eye like Peter Paul Reubens, “The Raising of The Cross”. The painting was created by use of oil paint on wooden panels in the year 1610. There are many aspects about this painting that catch your eye but the main aspects are the geometric stability it holds, the emotional thrust it throws at the viewer and Reuben’s intentions and meaning behind the painting. First let me give a little background on Peter Paul Reuben. Reuben was born in Germany in 1577 and his parents were afraid of religious ridicule so they left to Cologne. After his father’s death, him and his mother moved to Antwerp in 1589 and Reuben was raised Catholic there. After studying under artists Adam van Noort and Otto van Veen he finished his degree and began working as an independent master of art in 1598. When Reuben was 23 he traveled through Italy studying Roman and Greek art especially pieces by Titian. After his mother’s passing in 1608, he received positions as the master painter for multiple courts and countries. He then married in 1609 and from 1610 to 1630, he worked with a lot of countries and many rulers in attempts to keep peace and created many works of art. After two marriages and eight children, Reubens died at the age of 63 from heart failure from his severe gout in 1640.
It may at first glance appear that this painting is all jumbled up but you would be wrong. Reuben precisely placed each item in this painting. This style of painting is called Baroque. Baroque basically means elaborate and extensive detail used in a painting. Reubens avoids stiff lines and boring geometric forms to create life and motion in his painting. His flowing lines create movement in the painting. It is as if