Triptych with the Lamentation of Christ

Hans Memling
Bruges (Belgium)
54.1 x 91.5 cm

Oil paint on panel
Musea Brugge,
Museum Sint-Janshospitaal, Bruges
O.SJ0177.I

The centre panel of this triptych shows the Lamentation on Mount Golgotha. Jesus has been taken down from the cross and Mary, weeping, kneels down beside him. Mary Magdalene looks on mournfully as John the Evangelist carefully removes the crown of thorns from Jesus’s head. In the background, Saint Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea prepare the tomb. On the left-hand panel, the patron Adriaan Reins kneels in prayer. The patron can be identified by the A.R. monogram on the frame. Moreover, he is accompanied by his name saint, Saint Adrian. He is identified by the implements he was tortured with: hammer, anvil and sword. At his feet sits a lion, symbolizing his courage. Saint Barbara, a hospital saint, is depicted on the right-hand panel. She is carrying her attribute, the tower, on her right hand and she is portrayed against a backdrop of trees. At the top of the frame of the centre panel is the year the work was created: 1480. On the outer panels, you see, on the left, Saint Wilgefortis and, on the right panel, Mary of Egypt.

DETAILS

Identification

Title	Triptych with the Lamentation of Christ
Location	Museum Sint-Janshospitaal, Musea Brugge, Bruges (Belgium)
Category	Paintings
Subject	Religious
Inventory number	O.SJ0177.I
Inscriptions	Central panel: 1480 (top)
	AR (bottom)

Production

Creator	Hans Memling
Date	1480

Materials and Techniques

Materials	Oil paint, oak
Technique	Oil paint on panel
Dimensions	Left wing, with (original) frame: height 54.0 x width 22.9 cm
	Left wing, painted surface: height 45.2 x width 14.2 cm
	Central panel, with (original) frame: height 54.1 x width 45.7 cm
	Central panel, painted surface: height 44.0 x width 35.8 cm
	Right wing, with (original) frame: height 54.0 x width 22.9 cm
	Right wing, painted surface: height 45.2 x width 14.2 cm

Linked open data

Permalink
IIIF manifest	https://dam.museabrugge.be/memling/manifests/manifest-16.json
Copyright	Musea Brugge is committed to making data available as usable open data. Images of artworks are not subject to copyright restrictions are published for this purpose under the Creative Commons Zero license. These may be freely used.

Credits

The images were taken by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA, Brussels) on behalf of Musea Brugge.