User:Userart105/sandbox/Crucifixion Altarpiece
| Crucifixion Altarpiece | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Melchior Broederlam, Jacques de Baerze |
| Year | 1390s |
| Medium | Tempera on wood |
| Location | Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, Dijon |
The Crucifixion Altarpiece is a multimedia altarpiece, with painted exterior panels by Melchior Broederlam and an interior carved by Jacques de Baerze.[1] It was commissioned by Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy for the Chartreuse de Champmol. This altarpiece is considered one of the most important examples of the International Gothic style.[1] The altarpiece depicts Christ's life, beginning when he was conceived and ending with a representation of his burial.[1]
Style
[edit]International Gothic Style
[edit]The two panels painted by Broederlam are examples of the International Gothic style.[1] The aforementioned term of "International Gothic" was first utilized by art historians to characterize a type of painting that emerged in European courts during the late 14th to mid-15th century.[2] The International Gothic Style is defined by its decorative conventionalization paired with the abundant implementation of colors and gold decorations.[2] Furthermore, the International Gothic Style delicately places naturalistic details into a fairly illogical space.[1]
Closed View
[edit]Left Side
[edit]Annunciation
[edit]The left side of the altarpiece depicts the Annunciation scene, wherein the angel Gabriel appears before Mary and announces that she will be the mother to the son of God.[1] The architecture surrounding the Annunciation scene makes purposeful contrasts between the older Byzantine style and the newer Gothic style.[3] Mary is shown wearing her blue robe as she sits in front of a lectern that holds a book of hours.[1]
As the angel Gabriel appears beside her, Mary is depicted turning her head and raising her hand to recognize his presence before her.[1] Mary is pronounced as the mother of the Savior through Gabriel's banderole. Through golden rays that radiate from God the Father's mouth in the upper left of the panel, wherein the Holy Spirit enters Mary.[1] The walled garden behind Gabriel, known as the hortus conclusus, and the vase of white lilies in front of him, considered to be a symbol of the Virgin's purity, emphasize the immaculate origin of Christ's conception.[1]
Visitation
[edit]The following scene, to the right of the Annunciation, is the Visitation, portrays the moment when the Virgin Mary, donning blue clothing once again, meets Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.[1] As per biblical tradition, both Mary and Elizabeth were pregnant during this visit. John the Baptist, from within his mother’s womb, recognized Christ as the Savior and he “leapt with joy”.[4] The two women in Broederlam’s work, are shown standing in front of a mountainous and rugged landscape, at the top of which is a fortified village.[1] Broederlam also chose to include to sprinkle the landscape with small trees and bushes, while painting a single bird flying throughout the sky, with small trees and bushes scattered across the scene.[1] A lone bird flies through the sky, its silhouette contrasting with the gold leaf background.[1]
Right Side
[edit]The Presentation and the Flight to Egypt
[edit]Open View
[edit]History
[edit]Commission
[edit]The Crucifixion Altarpiece was commissioned by Philip the Bold, the Duke of Burgundy.[1] The Duke commissioned the altarpiece for the Chartreuse de Champmol, a monastery that he founded, located outside of Dijon, France.[1]
Works Cited
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Smarthistory – Fit for a duke: Broederlam's Crucifixion Altarpiece". smarthistory.org. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ a b "International Gothic | Glossary | National Gallery, London". www.nationalgallery.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Panofsky, Erwin (1953). Early Netherlandish Painting, Its Origins and Character. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978006436683.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - ^ "Luke 1", Wikipedia, 2024-10-07, retrieved 2024-10-11