The Crucifixion
1515
Matthias Grünewald didn't paint a peaceful, serene Jesus here; he gave us a raw, agonizingly realistic depiction of suffering meant to comfort sick patients at a hospital. The emaciated, plague-spotted body of Christ hangs against a pitch-black sky, while the grieving figures below—including a soldier in shiny armor realizing 'Truly this was the Son of God'—react with visceral horror. This central panel of the famous Isenheim Altarpiece was designed to speak directly to those enduring painful diseases, showing them a Savior who understood their physical torment.
- Technique
- Oil on wood panel
Location: Musée d'Unterlinden, Colmar
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