Bartholomeus Bruyn the Elder, 'The Virgin, Saints and a Holy Woman', probably 1530-40
About the work
Overview
This panel was most probably the right-hand wing of a diptych (a painting made up of two panels), and was probably made in Cologne in the 1530s. The location of the left-hand panel is unknown, but it most probably showed the dead Christ.
The figures huddle together and look in the direction of the left panel, weeping at the sight. Their grief is dramatic – their faces anguished, their tears like glass beads on their cheeks. The rippling folds of their brightly coloured clothing intensify the emotion.
The woman at the front is the Virgin Mary, wearing her traditional blue mantle, which here has fur lining at the cuffs. The woman to her left is Mary Magdalene, identifiable by her long, loose hair. Like the holy woman wearing the cap behind her, Mary Magdalene is dressed in elaborate clothing more contemporary to the picture – her billowing sleeve is patterned with silk brocade. The man is Saint John the Evangelist, who is known as the ‘beloved disciple’ and to whom Christ, at the Crucifixion, entrusted his mother.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Virgin, Saint John, Saint Mary Magdalene and a Holy Woman
- Artist
- Bartholomeus Bruyn the Elder
- Artist dates
- 1492/5 - 1555
- Date made
- probably 1530-40
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 67.9 × 48.3 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Presented by Henry Wagner, 1924
- Inventory number
- NG3903
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Susan Foister, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The German Paintings before 1800’, London 2024; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1959Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The German Schools, London 1959
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
-
2024S. Foister, National Gallery Catalogues: The German Paintings before 1800, 2 vols, London 2024
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
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