Pictures of the Month | April 2009
Picture of the Month
April 2009
Early Netherlandish Triptych
In the month where Easter falls, this enchanting small early Netherlandish triptych (c.1470) is a fitting work on which to focus in April, with a representation of the Deposition featuring as its central panel. Designed for private devotion, this intimate object is constructed of three hinged oak panels, enabling it to be folded for easy transportation and then set up wherever desired. The triptych is believed to have been painted in Brussels by a follower of Rogier van der Weyden (1400-64), perhaps his pupil Vrancke van der Stockt (1420-96).
The central depiction of the Deposition shows the dead Christ, limp and pitiful like a crushed child, being carefully passed down from the cross to a group of agonized, swooning onlookers below. This crowd includes Saint John, the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. Note how Jesus’s naked body contrasts with the heavy, elaborate drapery worn by his followers, intensifying its vulnerability and heightening the emotional impact on the viewer.
The inner faces of the two wings represent episodes from the Old Testament, with Adam and Eve Mourning Abel on the left, and Joseph’s Coat shown to Jacob on the right (Genesis, chapter 4, verse 8; and chapter 37, verses 31–4). The composition of these two panels is designed to work in equilibrium so that, for example, the figure of Rachel on the right balances that of Eve on the left. Jacob’s wife, Rachel, is not mentioned in the original Biblical text, but her introduction here not only aids the composition, but also heightens the melancholic mood of the whole work. The figure of the dead Abel on the left and the absence of Joseph on the right signify and prefigure the future death of Christ in the New Testament.
The backs of the wings show grisaille figures (monotone paintings in grey tones) of St Helena (left) and St Veronica (right). Saint Helena (c.AD 250 - c.330) is traditionally credited with finding the relics of the ‘True Cross’, and is always represented carrying this item. At Christ’s crucifixion, Saint Veronica (1st century AD) offered Jesus her veil to wipe his brow, and the image of his face was then miraculously impressed upon it.
This intricate and fascinating triptych is infused with delicate pathos and a complex web of religious symbolism. A quiet presence in the Green Gallery, it is a challenging but highly rewarding work to contemplate and enjoy this month.
Kathryn Murray, Education Assistant
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