The Procession to Calvary by Raphael

Christ carries the cross on his way to Golgotha. Behind him is Simon of Cyrene who helps to bear the weight of the cross. The idea of procession was a central one for Utzon in the design of the Sydney Opera House, and this is reflected in his use of Raphael's painting as an inspiration for his abstract mural that hangs in the Utzon Room. Given the history of the project, there lingers a certain degree of irony in Utzon's choice of subject matter.