Artwork

Weihenstephaner Altar: Tod des hl. Korbinian Rückseite: Christus am Ölberg

Weihenstephaner Altar: Tod des hl. Korbinian Rückseite: Christus am Ölberg is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jan Polack. It dates from 1492 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

About this work

Overview

The Weihenstephaner Altar, painted by Jan Polack in 1492, is a double‑sided altarpiece now in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. One panel portrays the death of Saint Corbinian, while the reverse shows Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, reflecting the devotional themes common to late‑medieval Bavaria.

Subject & Meaning

The front scene gathers a small group of clerics around a fallen figure swathed in a green blanket, suggesting a narrative of Saint Corbinian’s passing. The reverse panel presents a contemplative Christ amid a rocky landscape, emphasizing the moment of prayer before his Passion.

Technique & Style

Polack employs a warm palette of reds, yellows and greens, rendering the figures with careful attention to drapery and facial expression. Architectural arches and columns frame the interior, while a distant landscape with rolling hills and modest structures provides depth, characteristic of Northern Renaissance spatial organization.

History & Provenance

Born in the mid‑15th century, possibly in Kraków, Polack settled in Munich by the 1470s and ran a workshop there until his death in 1519. The altar was created for the Weihenstephan monastery and later entered the collection of the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains on display.

Context

The work belongs to a period when Bavarian art blended local Gothic traditions with the emerging naturalism of the Northern Renaissance. Its dual narrative format aligns with the liturgical practice of presenting complementary scenes on opposite sides of a single altarpiece.