Artwork

Left wing of an altarpiece with the meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek (inner wing) and Synagoga (outer wing)

Left wing of an altarpiece with the meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek (inner wing) and Synagoga (outer wing) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is an oil painting forming the left wing of a hinged altarpiece.

About this work

Technique & Style

The altarpiece wing is executed in oil paint on panel, a standard Northern European support for devotional panels of the early sixteenth century.

The altarpiece wing is executed in oil paint on panel, a standard Northern European support for devotional panels of the early sixteenth century. The work measures 102 cm in height and 71.2 cm in width, a vertical format suited to its function as one wing of a larger altarpiece. Dated to 1515, it is classified as a religious painting and is held in the collection that includes the Rijksmuseum.

The dual-sided composition pairs the inner wing's narrative of Abraham and Melchizedek with the outer wing's allegorical figure of Synagoga, indicating a carefully planned typological pairing typical of altarpiece programs of the period. The use of oil on a wooden support would have allowed for the detailed figural rendering and refined surface handling characteristic of devotional panels from this era.

No specific information on current condition, restoration history, or detailed stylistic analysis is provided in the available sources.

History & Provenance

Created in 1515, this oil painting on panel was produced by an anonymous artist. The work functions as the left wing of an altarpiece, depicting the meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek on its inner face and the figure of Synagoga on the exterior. Throughout its history, the panel has been associated with the collections of the Rijksmuseum, the Mauritshuis, and the Zeeuws Museum.

It is currently located within the holdings of the Rijksmuseum. No specific details regarding the original commission or the intermediate ownership chain between its creation and its presence in these institutions are provided in the available records.

Overview

The work is an oil painting forming the left wing of a hinged altarpiece. It portrays a biblical encounter on its inner surface and a figure of Synagoga on the outer side. The composition is divided between a kneeling figure in a red robe with gilded armor and a standing counterpart in white robes and a turban, set before an architectural backdrop.

Subject & Meaning

The inner panel illustrates the meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek, a scene drawn from Genesis that emphasizes covenant and priestly authority. The outer panel shows Synagoga, traditionally representing the Jewish faith, often juxtaposed with Ecclesia in medieval iconography, underscoring theological contrasts of the period.