Germany / c. 1440s
Altarpiece with The Passion of Christ
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Altarpiece with The Passion of Christ as painting (Germany · c. 1440s).
In 2012 the museum's conservation department created a new frame that was stylistically more appropriate for this altarpiece.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil and gold on wood and credits Master of the Schlägl Altarpiece (German).
The museum's collection notes: The visual focus of this altarpiece is the suffering and death of Christ on the cross. So-called Passion cycles in art include the events leading up to and following the Crucifixion, not only as single subjects but as scenes meant to be read in sequence. Passion cycles were promoted by the two great teaching orders, the Franciscans and the Dominicans, for whom this subject represented the main religious drama of their churches, and also by the German mystics who advocated private contemplation on the humanity and suffering of Christ. The original context for this altarpiece remains unknown, but it was probably made for a religious institution
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtAltarpiece with The Passion of ChristOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.