Who painted Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena?

Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena was painted by Barthel Beham in 1530.

Where can I see Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena?

Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena?

Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena

Barthel Beham , 1530

Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Barthel Beham. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The painting 'Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As mother of Emperor Constantine, Helena's quest symbolizes divine revelation and imperial piety within the historical narrative of the Holy Roman Empire.

The painting shows Helena Augusta discovering the True Cross, a pivotal moment in Christian legend where she uncovers the relic associated with Christ's crucifixion. As mother of Emperor Constantine, Helena's quest symbolizes divine revelation and imperial piety within the historical narrative of the Holy Roman Empire. The work belongs to the religious art tradition of the German Renaissance, reflecting contemporary devotional themes through its devotional subject matter and compositional focus on sacred discovery.

Technique & Style

The work is classified as a painting in the religious genre, executed in 1530 by Barthel Beham. Its physical format corresponds to a horizontal panel, measuring 101.1 cm in height by 149.8 cm in width, and it belongs to the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek. The sources do not specify the support, medium, pigment, or handling technique, nor do they describe condition or stylistic qualities.

History & Provenance

The painting Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena was created by Barthel Beham in 1530. This work, which depicts Helena Augusta, is classified as a religious painting.

It is currently held within the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, specifically located at the Alte Pinakothek. The sources do not provide further details regarding the original commission, the specific patron who ordered the work, or the intermediate steps in its ownership history prior to its current institutional home.

The work is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections in Munich, where it is part of the holdings of the Alte Pinakothek.

It carries the inventory number 10099 and measures 101.1 cm in height and 149.8 cm in width.

Context

Barthel Beham's 'Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena' (1530) occupies a significant position within his oeuvre as a rare large-scale religious history painting from his early career, reflecting the devotional practices of the period through its depiction of Saint Helena Augusta discovering the True Cross. Executed in 1530, the work exemplifies the artist's transition from intimate domestic subjects to complex narrative compositions, placing it at the intersection of Northern Renaissance naturalism and Counter-Reformation emphasis on saintly intercession.

Its substantial dimensions (101.1 cm × 149.8 cm) and presence in the Bavarian State Painting Collections since its acquisition underscore its enduring scholarly and institutional relevance as a key example of early 16th-century German religious art.

Legacy

Barthel Beham's 'Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena' shaped early German religious painting through its dramatic composition and narrative focus on Saint Helena's discovery of the True Cross. The work entered the Bavarian State Painting Collections and remains on view in the Alte Pinakothek, influencing later depictions of the legend in Counter-Reformation art. Its formal treatment established compositional precedents for history painting in the 16th century.

Overview

The painting 'Historienzyklus: Kreuzauffindung der hl. Helena' is a religious work by Barthel Beham, dated to 1530. It is housed in the Alte Pinakothek.