Artwork
Triptych:Crucifixion of Jesus (right panel)
Triptych:Crucifixion of Jesus (right panel) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. The right-hand panel of the triptych depicts a tumultuous outdoor gathering centered on the crucifixion.
About this work
Overview
The right-hand panel of the triptych depicts a tumultuous outdoor gathering centered on the crucifixion. Figures in dark, earthy tones fill the composition, punctuated by occasional vivid reds in hats and garments. A stormy sky looms over a distant castle and rugged hills, while a woman cradles an infant in the foreground and another figure lies prone nearby.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures the chaotic aftermath of the crucifixion, emphasizing the varied human responses to the event. Kneeling, standing, and seated figures convey grief, shock, and devotion, while the presence of a mother with child underscores themes of loss and continuity within the biblical narrative.
Technique & Style
The artist employs stark chiaroscuro, allowing light to strike faces and hands with sharp contrast against deep shadows. This dramatic illumination isolates key individuals, directing the viewer’s focus and heightening emotional intensity. The palette of muted earth tones, interspersed with bright accents, reinforces the somber atmosphere.
Context
As part of a larger triptych, this panel functions alongside the central and left panels to present a comprehensive visual account of the crucifixion. The inclusion of a distant castle and rugged landscape situates the biblical event within a recognizable, perhaps contemporary, setting, linking sacred history to the viewer’s world.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Pentecost
Kaisheimer Altar: Kreuztragung Christi
Expulsion of the money changers from the temple
Kreuzabnahme Christi
Landscape with Canopy and a Legionary; the Apparition of the Virgin to Saint James the Greater (on verso)
The lamentation of Christ
Entombment of Christ (Matthew 27:59–61; Mark 15:46–47; Luke 23:53–56; John 19:38–42)
Massacre of the Innocents
Last Judgement: Saint John the Baptist with six apostles
Wettenhauser Hochaltar: Ausgießung des Heiligen Geistes Rückseite: ehemals Relief mit Anbetung der Könige