Artwork
Cologne Diptych
Cologne Diptych is a tempera painting. It dates from 1315 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The right panel depicts the Crucifixion, with the Three Marys, John the Evangelist, and angels at the cross, and the Hebrew prophet Isaiah holding a scroll.
The left panel shows the Virgin and Child enthroned beneath a rose trellis, flanked by a kneeling donor figure. The right panel depicts the Crucifixion, with the Three Marys, John the Evangelist, and angels at the cross, and the Hebrew prophet Isaiah holding a scroll. The rose motif links the panels, evoking the Virgin’s purity and the Passion’s sorrow.
The donor’s presence and Isaiah’s scroll, likely bearing prophecy text, frame the work as a devotional image combining Marian veneration with Christ’s redemptive sacrifice.
Technique & Style
The Cologne Diptych is a panel painting executed in tempera on an oak support. Created in 1315, the work exemplifies the High Gothic style within the German Gothic movement. The composition features religious iconography, specifically depicting the Madonna and Child alongside scenes of the Crucifixion, angels, and various saints including John the Evangelist and Isaiah.
Visual elements such as speech scrolls and roses are integrated into the narrative. The painting measures 49.6 cm in height and 34.2 cm in width.
History & Provenance
The Cologne Diptych, a tempera painting on oak panel dated to 1315, was created in the High Gothic period in Cologne. Its dimensions measure 49.6 cm by 34.2 cm and it depicts a Madonna and Child alongside figures such as a crucifixion scene, angels and saints. The work entered the collection of John Charles Robinson before being acquired by the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, where it remains on display. Its stylistic classification aligns with German Gothic religious art, reflecting the devotional practices of early‑14th‑century Cologne.
The Cologne Diptych is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Created around 1315, this tempera painting on oak panel depicts religious subjects including the Madonna and Child and the Crucifixion. The work measures 49.6 cm in height and 34.2 cm in width.
Historical records indicate that the diptych was once owned by John Charles Robinson before entering its current institutional home.
Overview
The Cologne Diptych is a tempera painting composed of two distinct panels presented side-by-side. This devotional work juxtaposes two pivotal moments from Christian theology. On one panel, a serene depiction of the Virgin and Child is presented, while the adjacent panel dramatically portrays the crucifixion of Christ.
The artwork's structure allows for a comparative viewing of these sacred narratives, emphasizing both divine tenderness and ultimate sacrifice within a unified composition.
Artist & collection
- Diptych with the Virgin and Child Enthroned and the Crucifixion
Diptych of the Virgin and Child Enthroned and the Crucifixion
Saint John the Baptist, Annunciation, Crucifixion, Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Christ on the Cross with Saints Francis and Onophrius; The Virgin and Child with Saint Lawrence
Annunication; Crucifixion
Triptych of the Crucifixion with Saints Anthony, Christopher, James and George
Triptych of the Crucifixion with Saints Anthony, Christopher, James and George
Virgin and Angels
Madonna and Child Enthroned
Madonna and Child, with a Bishop, St John The Baptist and Angels
Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John
Interior view of wings of the triptych
