Exhibition Guide
Henri Matisse. Detail of The Stations of the Cross, Chapel of the Rosary, Vence. All copyright-protected works by Henri Matisse © 2025 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: © Musée Matisse Nice/François Fernandez
Station 5: Simon of Cyrene Relieves Jesus of His Cross Visual Description
Station 5 is positioned on the far right of the center row. It is approximately four tiles high and five tiles wide. In this scene, two figures representing Jesus and Simon of Cyrene, appear on either side of a cross. In the Stations of the Cross story, Simon observes Jesus on his journey and is compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the cross for him for a short distance. One figure, Jesus, carries the cross over his left shoulder while the other, Simon, appears to reach for it or pull it away from the other figure. Both figures lean sharply to the right as if pulling the cross in that direction. The cross, in contrast, angles sharply to the left. Together, the cross and the figures create a dynamic X-shaped composition amplifying the feeling of conflicting forces.