Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John
Artist/Culture
Spanish
Datelate 1200s
Mediumcarved and painted wood, iron
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1934.26
DescriptionCarved wood with polychrome and gilding. The polychrome and gilding are much more intact on Mary and John. See individual figures for additional details.Label TextPrior to the 13th century, images Jesus on the cross commonly depicted him alive and crowned, emphasizing Christians’ belief in his eternal triumph over death. In the 1200s, however, artists refocused their attention on his agony and on the suffering of those who witnessed his death. This group is remarkable because of its impressive size and its survival as an ensemble. It also reflects a transition in style from the 1200s to the 1300s. The rhythmic curves of Jesus’s exposed ribs, the terraced drapery, and the stiffness of John and Mary continue the more abstract rendering of earlier medieval art, while the soft, oval faces of all three figures and Jesus’s sagging body and downcast head embody the emotional appeal of an emerging style. ProvenanceArthur Byne, Madrid, Spain
On View
Not on view
