The Preparation of the Cross: Christ Resting, Christ Being Nailed to the Cross, and Erection of the Cross, ca. 1510 – 1520

Dimensions: 101.9 x 159.3 x 0.8 cm

Physical Description: Mixed technique on fir

Inventory Number: HM 43

Acquisition: On permanent loan from Historisches Museum Frankfurt am Main since 1922

Status: On display, 2nd upper level, Old Masters, room 4

Texts

About the Work

This unusual combination of three Passion scenes in one painting invites the viewer to let his eye roam as he reflects on Christ’s suffering and meditates on the events that brought about salvation. Remarkably, the painting is divided stylistically into two parts: the foreground and middle ground correspond to mid-fifteenth-century representations of the subject in the manner of the Karlsruhe Passion, while the background resembles the Upper Rhenish painting style of around 1510/20. This panel was probably intended to complement – or imitate – existing older works.

Audio

Basic information

01:09
Focus on cultural history

02:15

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: The Preparation of the Cross: Christ Resting, Christ Being Nailed to the Cross, and Erection of the Cross

Painter

Strasbourg Master ca. 1510/20

Period Produced

16th century

School

Late Middle Ages

Object Type

painting (artwork)

Physical Description: Mixed technique on fir

Material

Technique

mixed technique

Label at the Time of Manufacture: In der linken oberen Ecke Wappen der Straßburger Familie Müg: Wappenschild (golden-blau geteilter Schild, oben ein roter schreitender Löwe; unten zwei goldene Sterne balkenweis)
In der rechten oberen Ecke Wappen der Straßburger Familie Hohenburg: Wappenschild (schwarzer zinnenbewehrter Turm mit geöffneten Torflügel auf silbernem Grund)
Unten links: bisher nicht zugeordnetes Wappenschild (rot-gold gespaltener Schild, heraldisch links blaues "F")
Unten rechts: entspricht nicht genau dem Wappen der Familie Rosheim; Identifikation bleibt unsicher; Wappenschild (auf rotem Grund ein goldener Sparren belegt mit drei roten Rosen mit goldenen Butzen)

Property and Acquisition

Institution

Städel Museum

Departement

Old Masters 1300 - 1800

Collection

permanent loan

Creditline: Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Dauerleihgabe des Historischen Museums Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright: Public Domain

Acquisition: On permanent loan from Historisches Museum Frankfurt am Main since 1922

Work Content

Motifs and References

Genre

Main Motif

Persons Shown

Associated Persons and Institutions

Illustrated Passage

Bibel, Neues Testament, Matthäus 27,33-37
Bibel, Neues Testament, Markus 15,22-26
Bibel, Neues Testament, Lukas 23,27-38
Bibel, Neues Testament, Johannes 19,16-25
Bibel, Neues Testament, Matthäus 27,55-56
Bibel, Neues Testament, Markus 15,40-41

Iconclass

Primary

73D651 Christ on the cross; only scenes preceding the crucifixion added
73D52 Christ in agony waiting to be crucified; he is sitting on or near the cross or on a stone, 'Christus im Elend', 'Christus in der Rast'
73D551 raising of the cross to which Christ is nailed already
73D581 Pilate writing the superscription ~ Christ's crucifixion
73D58 the superscription: I(esus) N(azarenus) R(ex) I(udaeorum) ~ Christ's crucifixion