1101
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Crucifixion is a 1101 by German 12th Century, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a simple but solemn scene: a figure nailed to a cross, arms spread wide, standing out against a flat red background. Two people in blue robes stand on either side, looking up at him with folded hands. The colors are bold—bright blues, reds, and golds—with sharp lines and no shadows. The text above looks like Latin, which was common in religious art of this time. The figures are stiff and stylized, not trying to look real. If you like this kind of early religious art, check out more works from the German 12th Century.
These 12th-century German artists painted tiny, glowing scenes on animal skin. Their brushes traced saints in gold-streaked robes and dramatic moments like Jesus on the cross. Every inch bristles with detail—swirling…
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![The Crucifixion [verso]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/cef697082a2df4f0/thumb.webp)
