MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - PA017.jpg

Category Painting
Origin: artist/workshop Master of the Bonn Diptych
Date 15C/4
Reference No Inv 10644
Size 118x25
Provenance Benedictine nuns of St Agatha, Cologne
Present Location Bamberg, Staatsgalerie
Bibliography EM2:7 (Griesser 1961, 102-3); Posset 2003,316

Paffrath 1990, 55-7; Posset 1998, 308
Illustration From Paffrath 1990, 57
Other illustrations Posset 2003,317

Country Germany
Description:
Triptych of the Mass of St Gregory, a favourite medieval theme, by the Master of the Bonn Diptych painted 1480/85 has four scenes painted on the side panels: on the left the Virgin and Child standing on grass on which four male donors are kneeling, and on the reverse the crucified Christ's embrace of Bernard (Amplexus). On the right St Agatha, naked to the waist, has both hands tied to a column above her head with eight female figures kneeling at her feet, and on the reverse St Benedict in black cowl and carrying crozier and book. The Amplexus scene takes place in a lush landscape with a red book lying on the ground. Bernard, in a black or very dark brown cowl, is depicted larger in scale than Christ, whose emaciated body Bernard is supporting. Bernard is looking up at Christ whose hands are on Bernard's shoulders, but the initiative seems to be with Bernard and the picture resembles more a deposition scene than an Amplexus. The donors were Dederich van Luenen and his wife who had it painted for the Benedictine nuns of St Agatha, Cologne.