Calvary, ca. 1900

Between 1857 and 1875, Constantin Meunier regularly stayed at the Trappist monastery in Westmalle. During this period, the artist devoted himself to religiously inspired compositions. Although these works are somewhat misunderstood, they contain many elements that would determine his later naturalistic images of the contemporary industrial world. In Calvary, for example, Meunier associated the Passion of Christ with that of the miners. The volatile character of the painting and the dark use of colour reinforce the charged nature of the scene. This sketch is a preparatory study for the middle panel of the Triptych of the Mine (Brussels, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium).