Art Gallery Of Ontario

8 Lamentation of Christ, c. 1602-06, Galleria Borghese NARRATOR: Exhibition co-curator Kirk Nickel: KIRK NICKEL: Not long after entering Antwerp’s Painters Guild and thereby becoming a master painter in his own right, Rubens traveled to Italy. This was a relatively common sort of trip that talented and ambitious European artists would take. NARRATOR: Rubens went to Italy in 1600, then in his early twenties. During his eight years there he made this painting, probably for a wealthy cardinal. It shows Christ’s dead body, just taken down from the cross. Behind him is his mother, Mary. Here’s exhibition co-curator, Sasha Suda: SASHA SUDA: The Virgin is in incredible anguish. // She looks up to the sky, presumably to God for strength. God's own presence is indicated through the stream of light. The physicality of Christ is notable. NARRATOR: The poignancy of seeing Christ’s helpless, dead body like this, right after he died to save mankind, is intended to strengthen a viewer’s Christian faith. Rubens’ abi