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German School, 15th century

The Crucifixion c.1400-99

Oil on panel | 19.0 x 18.5 cm (support, canvas/panel/stretcher external) | RCIN 403495

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  • This small scene illustrates the Crucifixion. Christ is depicted upon the cross with his hands and feet nailed to the crucifix. At the top of the upright post is a small plaque inscribed “INRI” referring to the Latin phrase that was affixed to the cross by the order of the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate: “Iesus Nazarenus Rec Iudaeorum” (“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”). Christ’s loincloth appears to fly in the air around him symbolising his imminent resurrection. At the base of the cross is a skull and bone which was traditionally included to represent Adam. It's inconographic purpose is to remind the viewer that Christ’s sacrifice allowed for mankind’s redemption (necessitated by Adam and Eve’s original sin in the Garden of Eden). To Christ’s right are a conventional group of mourners consisting of St John and three females. Each figure in this group has a large circular golden halo. It seems likely that the women are either the Three Marys, or, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene and another. To the left of Christ is a small crowd of Roman soldiers, one of whom holds a shield decorated with the initials “SPQR” from the Latin phrase ‘Senatus Populusque Romanus’; ‘The Senate and People of Rome’. It refers to the civil authority that presides over the scene and sentenced Jesus to death. The figure in armour at the front of the group of soldiers points towards Jesus and has his mouth open, as if in the process of speech. He presumably represents the Centurion from the Gospel of Mark, who, on seeing Christ die, exclaimed: “surely this man was the son of God” (Mark 15:39).

    The sky behind the scene is gold and below this is a landscape with low hills and a passage of water. A castle is placed on the bank of the land, above the heads of the Roman soldiers.
    Provenance

    One of the group of early German works from the 77 paintings belonging to Prince Ludwig von Oettingen-Wallerstein (1791-1870), which were first offered to Prince Albert in 1847 as security for a loan and came into his possession by default (no 31 in Waagen’s catalogue of 1854); 25 of them were accepted by the National Gallery in 1863

  • Medium and techniques

    Oil on panel

    Measurements

    19.0 x 18.5 cm (support, canvas/panel/stretcher external)

    40.0 x 40.0 x 4.5 cm (frame, external)


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