Artwork
Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Helena
Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Helena is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder. It is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl.
About this work
Overview
The Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Helena is a painting by Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder, a prominent artist in Cologne during the German Renaissance.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, identified by her crown and the large cross she holds. Her attire and the surrounding elements, including a green bench and ornate background, contribute to the work's symbolic and devotional character.
Technique & Style
The work showcases Bruyn's skill in rendering intricate details, such as the decorative background and the folds of Helena's robe. The use of color and composition creates a sense of depth, characteristic of Northern Renaissance painting.
History & Provenance
Created in the first half of the 16th century, the painting is now part of the Alte Pinakothek's collection in Munich.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartholomäus Bruyn (1493–1555), usually called Barthel Bruyn or Barthel Bruyn the Elder, was a German Renaissance painter active in Cologne. He painted altarpieces and portraits, and was Cologne's foremost portrait painter of his day.
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man
Christ on the cross with the saints Peter, Mary, Mary Magdalene, John the Evangelist and Barbara, with three donors
Portrait of Elisabeth Bellinghausen
Portrait of a Man and His Three Sons
Portrait of a Lady and Her Daughter
Rinck-Altar II:Saint Catherine with donor Hermann Rinck
Triptych with the Adoration of the Magi
Saint Barbara
Portrait of Lysbeth van Duvenvoorde
Wing of Lazarus tritptych with donor and Saint Catharine
Mary (after The Ghent Altarpiece)
St. Lucy
Saint Margaret
Flügel eines Altares: Die hl. Ursula Rückseite mit hl. Brigitta abgesägt (Inv.-Nr. 1207)
Saint Simon Zelotes (?) or Saint Judas Thaddeus (?)
Saint Walpurgis
Left wing of a triptych with St Valerianus
Hl. Paulus Rückseite: Hl. Reinoldus
Kreuzigungsaltar: Kaiser Heinrich II. der Heilige