Artwork

Annunciation, Adoration of the Shepherds (carved obverse); Capture of Christ, Crowning with Thorns (painted reverse). Inner left wing of the altar retable from Lusina

Annunciation, Adoration of the Shepherds (carved obverse); Capture of Christ, Crowning with Thorns (painted reverse). Inner left wing of the altar retable from Lusina is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków. The work forms the painted reverse of the inner left wing of an altar retable originating from Lusina.

About this work

Overview

The work forms the painted reverse of the inner left wing of an altar retable originating from Lusina. It presents two biblical episodes in a single panel: the Capture of Christ followed by the Crowning with Thorns. The composition is divided horizontally, with the upper portion showing the arrest of Jesus and the lower portion depicting the moment of his mock coronation.

Subject & Meaning

In the upper scene, a group of men—identified by their varied hats, cloaks and the vivid reds, greens and whites of their garments—surround the central figure of Christ as he is seized. The lower scene shifts to a more somber tone, where two figures restrain the captive while a third stands above, preparing the crown of thorns, emphasizing the transition from betrayal to suffering.

Technique & Style

The figures are rendered with linear clarity, typical of altar retable painting, and the division of scenes reflects a didactic approach to storytelling.

The painted surface employs a gold background behind the upper figures, a common device in late medieval devotional panels to convey sacred space. The lower half adopts earthier pigments, creating a visual contrast that underscores the narrative progression. The figures are rendered with linear clarity, typical of altar retable painting, and the division of scenes reflects a didactic approach to storytelling.

History & Provenance

The panel belongs to the left wing of a larger retable that once stood in the church of Lusina. While the obverse side features a carved relief of the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Shepherds, the painted reverse records the Passion narrative, illustrating the dual function of the wing as both sculptural and pictorial devotional object.