An "old-new" acquisition: A panel painting of Christ the Crucified with the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist
Abstract
In 2010 the panel painting of Christ the Crucified with the Virgin Mary and John the vangelist returned to the City of Prague Museum from the National Gallery. It was transferred to the National Gallery's collection in 1922, soon after its acquisition by the museum.
Unfortunately, neither its origin nor how it was used are known because the inventory records in this case are extremely brief. However, we have a somewhat better idea about it from a material point of view because on its return to the musem it was restored and subjected to laboratory tests.
Based on this information two layers of time can be recognised on the panting. The older, artist's layer includes the basic composition of the figures and terrain, the more recent layer, most probably from the beginning of the 16th century, consists of additions to the landscape, vegetation and an arc of clouds.
In terms of iconography it is a common way of depicting Christ the Crucified that originated in the early Middle Ages. Stylistic and formal analysis shows that the artist worked with a graphic template by Martin Schongauer, which is most markedly reflected in the figure of Saint John.
In particular, this graphic sheet can by used to date the painting to the 1470's or, at latest, the 1480's. Another stylistic starting point is contemporary Nuremberg painting represented in our case by the work of the master who created the alter of Saint Wolfgang, who worked here in the 1450's and 1460's.
For a domestic analogy we could consider the similarity with the group responsible for the Saint Vitus-type Vyšší Brod Madonna and the Blánice Panel.