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Artwork

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows

Bernard Van Orley , 1514

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows, by Bernard Van Orley, oil, 1514
The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows, by Bernard Van Orley, oil, 1514

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Bernard Van Orley. It dates from 1514 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

In a chamber near Tournai, Bernard van Orley painted Saint Elizabeth resting after childbirth while Zacharias enters with a scroll announcing the name John.

In a chamber near Tournai, Bernard van Orley painted Saint Elizabeth resting after childbirth while Zacharias enters with a scroll announcing the name John. This panel, created around 1514–15 for Abbot Jacques Coëne of the Benedictine Abbey at Marchiennes, served as the left wing of a Saint John the Baptist altarpiece. Its reverse side tricks the eye with a trompe-l'oeil marble wall, an abbot's crozier, and a framed image of the Man of Sorrows, advertising the patron's devotion and rank within the Catholic Church. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired it in 2001 through the bequest of Hertha Katz.

Subject & Meaning

The obverse of this double-sided panel depicts the biblical scene of the birth and naming of Saint John the Baptist, featuring Elizabeth, Zechariah, the infant John, and a peafowl in a domestic interior. The reverse is a trompe-l'oeil representation of Christ as the Man of Sorrows, a Passion image. The juxtaposition of a joyful nativity with a somber devotional subject underscores the theological connection between John's role as the forerunner and Christ's sacrificial death, reflecting the work's classification as religious art.

History & Provenance

This painting was created in 1514 by Bernard van Orley. Its provenance includes ownership by Piet de Boer, followed by Georg Katz and Hertha Katz, before entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently housed. No specific commission details are recorded in the provided sources.

Overview

Bernard van Orley painted this oil on wood panel around 1514–15. Titled The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist, it served as the left component of an altarpiece commissioned by Abbot Jacques Coëne for the Benedictine Abbey Church in Marchiennes. The front depicts the biblical moment of John the Baptist's naming, while the reverse features a trompe-l'oeil composition.

This illusionistic side showcases an abbot's crozier and a depiction of the Man of Sorrows, reflecting the patron's ecclesiastical role and devotion.

Technique & Style

Van Orley's panel demonstrates the refined artistic conventions of the Netherlandish tradition, particularly in its meticulous rendering of surface textures and its layered symbolic content. The reverse side employs a sophisticated trompe-l'oeil technique, creating the illusion of a veined marble background upon which a framed painting of Christ as the Man of Sorrows appears to hang. Below it, a banderole unfurls with the Latin motto "FINIS CORONAT" and an abbot's crozier, subtly referencing the patron's status and piety through visual trickery.

The Birth and Naming of John the Baptist
The Birth and Naming of John the Baptist, Juan de Flandes

Artist & collection

Portrait of Bernard Van Orley

Artist

Bernard Van Orley

Bernard van Orley (between 1487 and 1491 – 6 January 1541), also called Barend or Barent van Orley, Bernaert van Orley or Barend van Brussel, was a versatile Flemish artist and representative of Dutch and Flemish…

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows?

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows was painted by Bernard Van Orley in 1514-01-01.

Where can I see The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows?

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows?

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows?

Museum-quality prints of The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.