Artwork
Roundel with Crucifixion, the Virgin and Saint John
Roundel with Crucifixion, the Virgin and Saint John is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This circular painting depicts a pivotal moment from Christian narrative, featuring the Crucifixion.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The roundel depicts the Crucifixion scene with the Virgin Mary and the apostle John, emphasizing the central Christian narrative of sacrifice and the presence of witnesses to Christ's death. The Virgin's posture and John's figure serve as traditional iconographic symbols of compassion and the beloved disciple, reinforcing themes of devotion and witness within a religious context. As an anonymous work dated to the early sixteenth century, it reflects the devotional practices of the period and is presently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The roundel depicting the Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John is an anonymous religious painting dated to circa 1500.
The roundel depicting the Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John is an anonymous religious painting dated to circa 1500. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No further details about earlier ownership, commission, or specific creation circumstances are provided in the available sources, which confirm its current location and inception date but do not contain a specific inventory or accession number, nor any record of exhibitions in which the work has been displayed.
Overview
This circular painting depicts a pivotal moment from Christian narrative, featuring the Crucifixion. Centrally positioned, Christ is shown on the cross, flanked by two significant figures. The artwork's age is evident in its muted palette and the subtle wear of its surface, suggesting a historical origin. Its round format, known as a roundel, presents a focused and intimate portrayal of the scene.
Technique & Style
Rendered as a painting, the artwork utilizes a circular format to frame its devotional subject. The background is largely unadorned, featuring a white field with faint, decorative gold patterns that suggest a celestial or symbolic space. The colors, though once vibrant, have softened over time, contributing to the piece's antique character.
Details like Christ's halo and the gold trim on Saint John's attire indicate a careful attention to symbolic and decorative elements.
Artist & collection
- Roundel with the Crucifixion, the Virgin, and Saint John
Roundel with the Crucifixion, the Virgin, and Saint John
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