Artwork
Crucifix with Mary, Mary Magdalen and St John the Evangelist
Crucifix with Mary, Mary Magdalen and St John the Evangelist is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Hans Burgkmair I. It dates from 1519 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the crucifixion of Jesus flanked by the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene and the beloved disciple John, arranged in a traditional composition that emphasizes the theological significance of the Passion and the presence of witnesses to Christ’s sacrifice. Mary’s central placement underscores her role as intercessor, while Magdalene’s posture of contemplation and John’s attentive stance convey both sorrow and fidelity. The work belongs to the religious art genre of the early 16th century and was created by Hans Burgkmair the Elder for the Bavarian State Painting Collections, where it remains on display in the Alte Pinakothek.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 179.
The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 179.2 cm in height and 116.3 cm in width. It depicts the crucifixion of Jesus alongside the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalen, and Saint John the Evangelist, reflecting a conventional composition within the religious genre. The formal treatment emphasizes the centrality of Christ through scale and positioning, while the use of oil on panel allows for fine detail and rich surface texture characteristic of early sixteenth‑century German painting.
History & Provenance
The Crucifix with Mary, Mary Magdalen and St John the Evangelist was created in 1519 by the German painter Hans Burgkmair the Elder, executed in oil on panel. The work is presently housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich and forms part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. While specific details of its original commission or early ownership are not recorded in the available sources, its provenance traces its entry into the Bavarian State Painting Collections, where it has remained since at least the time of its cataloguing.
The Crucifix with Mary, Mary Magdalen and St John the Evangelist by Hans Burgkmair the Elder, dated 1519, is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is located at the Alte Pinakothek. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Overview
Hans Burgkmair the Elder’s 1519 oil painting titled Crucifix with Mary, Mary Magdalen and St John the Evangelist presents a dramatic moment from the Passion. Executed in the early sixteenth century, the work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich and remains a notable example of German religious art from the period.
Context
The work reflects the devotional climate of early Reformation Germany, when visual narratives of the crucifixion were central to private and public piety. Burgkmair, a leading figure in the Nuremberg school, integrated Northern Renaissance attention to detail with emerging Italianate influences, situating the piece within a transitional artistic moment.
Artist & collection
- Crucifixion with Saint Mary Magdalene
The Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and St John
The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saints John, and Mary Magdalen![The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene [middle panel], by Pietro Perugino](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/pietro-perugino--the-crucifixion-with-the-virgin-saint-john-saint-jerome-and--a9b4c312771e3f71-w320.webp)
The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene [middle panel]
Crucifixion with Mary and St John the Evangelist
Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saints
Crucifixion, with the Virgin and Saint John
The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John