Christ Carrying the Cross Postcard

This is a reproduction of “Christ Carrying the Cross” of 1688 by Charles le Brun. This religious painting depicts Chrsit on the Via Dolorossa. It was painted in the last two years of the Master’s life. Le Brun dominated French art of the Seventeenth Century and was alled by Louis XIV “the greatest French artist of all time”. The Paris-born Le Brun was placed in an artist’s studio at the age of eleven and within four years he was receiving commissions from Cardinal Richelieu. He went to Rome in the company of Poussin for whom he worked for four years. When he returned to Paris in 1646 he found many patrons and had a role in taking control of the Academy of Painting and Sculpture and the Academy of France in Rome. He was a power-player at court but, towards the end of his life, had a decline in fortunes after the fall of his patron Colbert. He died in his private mansion in Paris in 1690. This masterpiece is an oil on canvas and measures 21.37 by 15.26 inches. It is in the Musee du Louvre in Paris.