Northern Italy

The Digitalisation Project Castle Huis Bergh is the intellectual property of the Stichting Musick’s Monument. Ing Hans Meijer was responsible for the technical realisation; Dr Willem Kuiper for the scholarly input. Thanks are also due to the Anjer Cultuurfonds Gelderland; the Stichting de Verenigde Stichtingen “De Armenkorf” in Terborg and “Het Gasthuis te Silvolde”; Mrs P. Tijdink-Hermsen; Mrs L.J.C. Meijer-Kroonder; and the Giese family.

Panel

Italian master Northern Italy

Crucifixion 1290-1320

Details of production: Prof. van Os (1988): perhaps School of Rhnini first half 14th century.

Mary is praying, while Saint John the Evangelist, standing to the right side of the cross, seems to be laughing. He is not, of course. The gesture he makes with his left hand is one of grief, and to the medieval beholder he is clearly a sorrowful man. The artist has tried to incorporate Golgotha, the hill on which Jesus was crucified, in his painting: a hillock, covered with Christs blood, is visible under the cross. The most striking feature of this panel is the golden background. In medieval times, it was common practice for painters to use not only paint, but also gold leaf. The precious material was deemed fit only for panels depicting saints, members of the holy family, kings, queens or emperors. Now, the red paint that served as an underlayer for gold leaf is frequently discernible.To further embellish the gold leaf background or halo, an artist would use stamps to ornament it. The Italian master who painted this particular piece of art was obviously an enthusiastic wielder of the stamp, for he has covered the entire background with ornamentation. Note how he uses ornamentation patterns to highlight certain differences: the haloes of Mary and John differ from that of Jesus. Note also how the artist uses certain stamps several times: the dots adorning the haloes of the two standing figures recur above the cross.