Antwerp Cathedral is a masterpiece of medieval architecture, and also a repository of a collection of art. It houses four altarpieces by Rubens, the great Flemish Baroque painter.

The earliest of the four altarpieces, the triptych of the Raising of the Cross was in fact painted in 1610 for the high altar of Antwerp's church of St Walpurgis, which was demolished in 1817. The triptych was installed in the cathedral only in 1815. Rubens's real entry into the cathedral was marked by the Descent from the Cross. This triptych was commissioned by Antwerp's Civic Guard (the Arquebusiers) in 1611 for their altar in the cathedral.

Rubens painted the Moretus triptych with the Resurrection of Christ on the centre panel) in 1611-12, shortly after completing the Raising of the Cross and at about the same time as the centre panel of the Descent from the Cross.

The Antwerp Cathedral was given a new marble high altar during the baroque refurbishment. Rubens, the most famous artist of his day, was commissioned in 1625 to paint an altarpiece, the Assumption of the Virgin.

Preview	Picture Data	Info
	Raising of the Cross 1610 Oil on panel, 460 x 340 cm (centre panel), 460 x 150 cm (wings) O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Raising of the Cross (detail) 1610 Oil on panel, 460 x 340 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Raising of the Cross (detail) 1610 Oil on panel O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Raising of the Cross: Sts Amand and Walpurgis 1610 Oil on panel, 460 x 150 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Raising of the Cross: Sts Eligius and Catherine 1610 Oil on panel, 460 x 150 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	The Resurrection of Christ 1611-12 Oil on panel, 138 x 98 cm (centre panel), 136 x 40 cm (wings) O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	The Resurrection of Christ 1611-12 Oil on panel, 138 x 98 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	The Resurrection of Christ 1611-12 Oil on panel, 138 x 98 cm (centre panel), 136 x 40 cm (wings) O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross 1612-14 Oil on panel, 421 x 311 cm (centre panel), 421 x 153 cm (wings) O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross (centre panel) 1612-14 Oil on panel, 421 x 311 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross (left wing) 1612-14 Oil on panel, 421 x 153 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross (outside left) 1612-14 Oil on panel, 421 x 153 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross (right wing) 1612-14 Oil on panel, 421 x 153 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross (outside right) 1612-14 Oil on panel, 421 x 153 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Descent from the Cross 1612-14 Oil on panel O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Meeting of Mary and Elisabeth (detail) 1612-14 Oil on panel O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Virgin and Child 1624-25 Oil on canvas, 151 x 108 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin
	Assumption of the Virgin 1626 Oil on panel, 490 x 325 cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Assumption of the Virgin (detail) 1626 Oil on canvas O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
	Assumption of the Virgin (detail) 1626 Oil on canvas O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp