Matthias Grünewald
(German Renaissance, c.1470 –1528)
"It was painted for the Monastery of St. Anthony in Isenheim near Colmar, which specialized in hospital work. The Antonine monks of the monastery were noted for their care of plague sufferers as well as their treatment of skin diseases, such as ergotism. The image of the crucified Christ is pitted with plague-type sores, showing patients that Jesus understood and shared their afflictions."
First view - Wings closed (at the middle, for usual days):
Framed on the left is the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian pierced by arrows, and on the right by Saint Anthony the Great, being taunted by a frightening monster.
The Crucifixion depicts horrific agony, with Christ's emaciated body writhing under the pain of the nails driven through his hands and feet. This body is covered with sores and riddled with thorns.
Virgin Mary is shown at Christ's right, collapsing in anguish in the arms of John, the beloved disciple of Christ, and shrouded in a large piece of white cloth. Sorrowful Mary Magdalene is on her knees and has her fingers intertwined.
At Christ's left, John the Baptist is accompanied by a lamb, symbolising the sacrifice of Jesus. The inclusion of John the Baptist in this scene is symbolic. Beheaded by order of Herod in 29 AD, he could not possibly have witnessed the death of Christ.
Second view - Outer wings opened (for important festivals):
The left wing represents the Annunciation. In the central corpus, the Concert of Angels and the Nativity. Lastly, the right wing shows the Resurrection and the Ascension.
Third view - Inner wings opened (to venerate Saint Anthony):
Disclosing on either side of the carved innermost shrine two panels, Sts Paul and Anthony in the Desert and a Temptation of St Anthony.
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| Isenheim Altarpiece (view in the chapel of the Hospital of Saint Anthony, Isenheim) - sculpted by Niclaus of Haguenau & painted by Matthias Grünewald (both Germans) - oil on wood (300 x 328 cm center panel) 1512–15 - Musée d'Unterlinden (Colmar, Alsace) |
The triptych has 2 sets of wings, displaying 3 configurations:
First view - Wings closed (at the middle, for usual days):
The Crucifixion depicts horrific agony, with Christ's emaciated body writhing under the pain of the nails driven through his hands and feet. This body is covered with sores and riddled with thorns.
Virgin Mary is shown at Christ's right, collapsing in anguish in the arms of John, the beloved disciple of Christ, and shrouded in a large piece of white cloth. Sorrowful Mary Magdalene is on her knees and has her fingers intertwined.
At Christ's left, John the Baptist is accompanied by a lamb, symbolising the sacrifice of Jesus. The inclusion of John the Baptist in this scene is symbolic. Beheaded by order of Herod in 29 AD, he could not possibly have witnessed the death of Christ.
Second view - Outer wings opened (for important festivals):
Third view - Inner wings opened (to venerate Saint Anthony):
Disclosing on either side of the carved innermost shrine two panels, Sts Paul and Anthony in the Desert and a Temptation of St Anthony.
Dispute of Saint Erasmus and Saint Maurice
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| Saint Erasmus and Saint - Matthias Grünewald - oil on wood (226 x 176 cm) C.1520-24 - Alte Pinakothek (Munich) |
Source: Wikipedia
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