Open full image Pin

Untitled

Unknown

1362

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Medieval

Dominant colour

About this work

This painting shows a damaged altarpiece with missing parts. It has a blank area on the left and remnants of a scene on the right. The right side shows a toga and legs under an arch, which is the Ascension of Christ. This altarpiece is interesting because it reflects the religious upheavals of 16th century England. The damage to the painting is a result of the Reformation, when many sculptures and images were destroyed. To learn more about similar art, look up the technique of sfumato.

The story of this work

Overview

This late medieval altarpiece from the parish church of St. Mary's, Sutton Valence in Kent consists of three carved wooden panels, with the central section elevated above the side panels. The central panel depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a cushioned bench, crowned and holding the Christ Child, who is now largely missing, while angels hover in clouds on either side of her head. The left panel originally showed the Adoration of the Kings, now lost except for damage, and the right panel retains fragments of the Ascension of Christ, identifiable by surviving elements such as draped legs and a…

Read the full account in the museum source.