MEMLING, Hans (b. ca. 1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges) St John Altarpiece (central panel) 1474-79 Oil on oak panel, 173,6 x 173,7 cm Memlingmuseum, Sint-Janshospitaal, Bruges The central panel focuses upon a Sacra Conversazione, a gathering of saints around the Virgin. Mary is enthroned on a golden seat and is being crowned Queen of Heaven by two dark-blue angels who hover above her. St Catherine kneels on one side, recognisable by the instruments of her martyrdom, the sword and wheel, and from the wedding ritual. The attribute of St Barbara, kneeling on the other side, is represe
MEMLING, Hans (b. ca. 1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges) St John Altarpiece (central panel) 1474-79 Oil on oak panel, 173,6 x 173,7 cm Memlingmuseum, Sint-Janshospitaal, Bruges The central panel focuses upon a Sacra Conversazione, a gathering of saints around the Virgin. Mary is enthroned on a golden seat and is being crowned Queen of Heaven by two dark-blue angels who hover above her. St Catherine kneels on one side, recognisable by the instruments of her martyrdom, the sword and wheel, and from the wedding ritual. The attribute of St Barbara, kneeling on the other side, is represented as a white stone sacrament tower. The Eucharistic Host is visible through the traceried window in a glass cylinder mounted on a crescent moon. Although the Host was another attribute of this saint, it may also be interpreted here as an allusion to the Holy Mass - symbolism which is continued throughout the remainder of the scene. The standing figures of the two St Johns on either side of the Virgin in the middle ground personify aspects of the Eucharist. St John the Baptist with the lamb at his side points with his right hand to the incarnated Jesus, the true sacrificial Lamb, who holds an apple in his hand to indicate that he is the new Adam. St John the Evangelist blesses his poisoned chalice in the manner of the priest during Mass. The sacral nature of the scene heightens the significance of the book held up to the Virgin by the angel kneeling like an acolyte on the right, and the music played by the angel with the portative organ on the left. Mary functions as a kind of divine, consecratory altar. The overall scene is thus a vision of the Eucharist. The composition of the group is perfectly symmetrical, as is the architectural construction to the rear that encloses them. It is a kind of apse, with an ambulatory, without walls or windows. Memling was doubtlessly influenced by the architecture in Jan van Eyck's Virgin with Canon van der Paele, which he opened up an
Size: 4008px × 4000px
Photo credit: © Carlo Bollo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1400, 1400s, 15th, artwork, century, child, dutch, flemish, german, hans, memling, paint, painter, painting, paintings, religious, renaissance
