Artwork

Legnica polyptych - right wing external - lower panel - obverse: Resurrection of Christ; reverse: Last judgement

Legnica polyptych - right wing external - lower panel - obverse: Resurrection of Christ; reverse: Last judgement is a tempera painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Mikołaj Obilman. It dates from 1466 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.

About this work

Overview

The right external wing of the Legnica polyptych, lower panel, presents a double‑sided tempera composition by Mikołaj Obilman, dated to 1466. The front side depicts the Resurrection of Christ, while the reverse shows a Last Judgement scene. Both images are painted on a wooden panel that resembles an old door, and the work is presently conserved in the National Museum in Warsaw.

Subject & Meaning

The Resurrection panel illustrates the risen Christ surrounded by figures in dark robes, some kneeling, one elevated as if hovering, emphasizing triumph over death. The reverse Last Judgement portrays a darker atmosphere with anguished, shadowy figures reaching upward, reflecting the medieval preoccupation with salvation and divine reckoning.

Technique & Style

Executed in egg tempera, the painting displays the characteristic fine brushwork and luminous color layers typical of mid‑15th‑century Central European art. The medium’s quick drying time required meticulous planning, resulting in crisp outlines and a slightly flattened spatial perspective, while the aging surface shows fading and cracking that reveal the original palette beneath.

History & Provenance

Created in 1466, the panel formed part of a larger polyptych originally commissioned for a church in Legnica. Over centuries it changed hands, eventually entering the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s medieval Polish painting holdings.

Context

Obilman’s work belongs to the late Gothic tradition in Silesia, where polyptychs served both liturgical and didactic functions. The dual imagery—Resurrection on one side, Last Judgement on the other—allowed the panel to convey complementary theological messages depending on the liturgical calendar and the viewer’s position.