The work, of which the side panels have not survived, shows Jesus on the cross with Mary to the left and John to the right. God the Father and the Holy Ghost in the shape of a dove are shown above the crucifixion scene. Together with Christ they form a depiction of the Holy Trinity. To the left and the right of the cross, an additional two figures are shown on fields of clouds. To the left a woman with four naked children, above which is written the text: 'Sanguinis hoc preciu distribua indigenis’ (I shall distribute this ransom in blood [or: this liberating/priceless blood] to those in need). To the right there is a woman who is pushing a sword into its scabbard. The woman to the right is a personification of Justitia (Justice); probably Isabella of Austria, the wife of Christiaan II of Denmark, is portrayed here. The woman to the left depicts Caritas (Charity); this is certainly a portrait of Orley’s client, Margaretha of Austria. It is rather rare to see such personifications on crucifixion scenes.
Specifications
| Title | Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on panel |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is travelling |
| Dimensions |
Height 140 cm Width 91 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Painter:
Bernard van Orley
|
| Accession number | 1629 (OK) |
| Credits | Gift J.C. Viruly-Matthijsen, 1867 |
| Department | Old Masters |
| Acquisition date | 1867 |
| Creation date | in circa 1525 |
| Internal exhibitions |
Van Eyck tot Bruegel (1994) De collectie als tijdmachine (2017) |
| External exhibitions |
Nederlandsche Kunst van de XVde en XVIde eeuw (1945) De kunst van het recht (2016) Willem II & Anna Paulowna. Royal Splendour at the Dutch Court (2013) Collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen – Bruegel’s ‘The Tower of Babel’ and Great 16th Century Masters (2017) Roep om rechtvaardigheid (2018) Bernard van Orley. Brussel en de Renaissance (2019) Vaste opstelling Hof van Busleyden (2024) |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | Southern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
