Matthias GrĂźnewald - The Isenheim Altarpiece, 1506-1515 The Revelations of Saint Birgitta “The Son of God spoke to his bride, saying: "I am the Creator of heaven and earth, and it is my true body that is consecrated on the altar ... When I saw the lance, the nails, the whips, and the other instruments of suffering ready, I still went on to suffer with joy. When my head was bleeding on all sides from the crown of thorns, and blood was flowing on all sides, then, even if my enemies had got hold of my heart as well, I would rather have let it be sundered and wounded than lose you ... If my head was pierced and inclined on the cross for you, your head should be inclined toward humility. Since my eyes were bloody and full of tears, your eyes should keep away from pleasurable sights. Since my ears were filled with blood and heard mocking words against me, your ears should turn aside from frivolous and unfitting talk. Since my mouth was given a bitter drink to drink but was denied a sweet one, keep your own mouth from evil and let it be open for good. Since my hands were stretched out by nails, let your works, which the hands symbolize, be stretched out to the poor and to my commandments. Let your feet, that is, your affections, with which you should walk toward me, be crucified as to lusts, so that, just as I suffered in all my limbs, so may all your limbs be ready to obey me. I demand more service of you than of others, because I have given you a greater grace."
The way the altarpiece is currently on display is very different to the original polyptych.
The pre-existing carved gilt-wood altarpiece by Nicolas Hagenau of about 1490
Key Words: Triptych/Polyptych - a multi-panel work of art, sometimes allowing different views Predella - a painting that runs along the bottom of an altarpiece Altarpiece - a multi-panel painting that is suspended behind the altar of a church Iconography - the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images Northern Renaissance -
The Crucifixion St. Sebastian
Christ whipped, wore crown of thorns, hands and feet nailed to cross, spear wound in side
Martyrd - shot by arrows
St. Anthony Diseases of the skin - St. Anthony始s Fire
The Virgin Mary
St. John the Evangelist Mary Magdalen Predella
St. John the Baptist
The Lamentation The Annunciation
Mary bathing Jesus with angels
The Resurrection
The work was painted for the Monastery of St. Anthony in Isenheim near Colmar, which specialized in hospital work. The Antonine monks of the monastery were noted for their treatment of sufferers of skin disease, such as ergotism, symptoms of which are displayed by figures including the crucified Christ in the altarpiece: "a Great plague of swollen blisters consumed the people by a loathsome rot, so that their limbs were loosened and fell off before death."