The Dead Christ on the Cross

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Though it appears to be a finished work of art, this canvas nonetheless is thought be the modello (working sketch) for Philippe de Champaigne’s large altarpiece commissioned for the main altar of the church at the Grande Chartreuse, the head monastery of the Carthusian religious order located north of Grenoble, France. The altarpiece painting today is in the museum in that city.

Monumental in conception and characterized by a piety and austerity appropriate for its patrons, Champaigne’s profound The Dead Christ on the Cross depicts a specific moment noted in the Gospel According to John (19:30): “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”