Artwork
Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Helena
Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Helena is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder. It is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The representation of Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, invokes her historical and hagiographical significance as the finder of the True Cross.
This religious panel painting depicts Helena Augusta, also known as Saint Helena. As a component of a larger Crucifixion altarpiece created by Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder, the work functions as a devotional image within a sacred narrative context. The representation of Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, invokes her historical and hagiographical significance as the finder of the True Cross.
Her presence in the altarpiece serves to connect the viewer to the physical relics of the Passion, reinforcing the theological themes of redemption and the validation of the Christian faith through the discovery of the instrument of Christ's execution.
Technique & Style
The altarpiece is an oil painting on wood panel, measuring 96.9 cm in height and 32.3 cm in width. Executed in a naturalistic yet restrained style, it depicts Saint Helena holding the True Cross, rendered with delicate modeling and a muted palette characteristic of early Northern Renaissance religious art. The composition emphasizes devotional intimacy, with careful attention to drapery and facial expression. The work is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
Overview
The Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Helena is a painting by Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder, a prominent artist in Cologne during the German Renaissance.
History & Provenance
Created in the first half of the 16th century, the painting is now part of the Alte Pinakothek's collection in Munich.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartholomäus Bruyn (1493–1555), usually called Barthel Bruyn or Barthel Bruyn the Elder, was a German Renaissance painter active in Cologne. He painted altarpieces and portraits, and was Cologne's foremost portrait painter of his day.
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