Oh yeah, the Isenheim Altarpiece-- that's that's really up there. One of my faves.
This is Tessa Davidson and I am in conversation with my husband T. J. Davidson and we're looking at an
altarpiece painted by a German artist-- and you know he's German-- look at that
last name. Matthias Grunewald. So he devotes several years of his life to
painting this. He paints it from 15 12 to 15 16. T. J., I know we've seen a lot of
altarpieces in Europe, but this is one you haven't seen. It's located in the
Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France. Unterlinden? yeah that's-- man, I can't
believe I haven't seen this one. Well, next time we're over there we need to
make a detour, okay? I mean, can you imagine being able to see this
in person? Oh, that sucker's big! We could see it on a
screen, but wow, yeah, looking at it in person-- it would be pretty incredible. So is this like a triptych?
That's a good question. Actually, it's considered to be a polyptych
Right, because of that fourth piece under on the bottom? Yeah, and actually if you look behind it--
Can you see? There's actually multiple layers--- Oh that's
that's all a part of this. Oh!
I thought that was some other artwork. So polyptych is like "poly," like "multiple"?
Yes, multiple. Exactly. For the sake of this particular discussion, we're gonna
just focus in on what it looks like when it's closed. And this is actually how it
would have looked like for most of the year. They actually only opened it on
holy days and special days. And so without really having any prior experiences with
this altarpiece, will you just try to describe for us what you think you're
seeing? Well, on the far left, that looks like an arrow-- so is that St. Sebastian?
Ah, ye. Yeah, what's up! I know my art stuff. Bonus points for T. J. How do you know it's Saint Sebastian? Because I just know the
arrows-- if you ever see arrows in somebody, that's St. Sebastian. Or Cupid.
Or the Green Arrow from the, like, Marvel/DC Universe. Ok, well you know your Marvel,
do you know much about St. Sebastian? DO you know why he's depicted with arrows? Oh, wasn't it like he didn't-- he kept getting shot with arrows but he wasn't
dying or something? Was it something like that? Yeah, yeah. And the guy on the right, I have no idea,
but I'm gonna guess he's like an apostle. Now, that's actually St. Anthony and
that's the saint to whom this whole-- where the altarpiece was originally
located-- it was a hospital devoted to St. Anthony and in his name's sake. So let's
look at the inner panels. What do we have going on here? I'm gonna guess that's
Jesus on the cross. One thing that just really grips me is like his fingers look
just really crazy there. I mean that's something you'd see, like on a
modern like, uh, horror movie you know when people, you know, just how contorted or
just they look very--- Yeah, with that kind of expressionistic exaggeration, he
really influenced a lot of artists that would come later. So this is considered
to be one of the most terrifying depictions of the crucifixion in Western
art. You see it in the feet, too. Yeah, like that kind of exaggeration. I've seen
enough crucifixion art, usually the feet aren't twisted like that. Yeah, so
there's a huge emphasis on the suffering and this pulling of the body and that's
definitely something that this work is known for. Well, and knowing how big that
piece is, too - I mean those feet are gonna be right in your face. Oh yeah. Those
details are really gonna stand out when you're looking at it. It's not some
little small picture. that's a really good point, yeah, being actually at the foot of the cross
and looking up and being confronted with that in such a strong way. That's a
really interesting point. I guess the other part I really like is
that lamb is rocking that cross, I mean-- Yeah, let's look at that. And is he being milked? Is something
falling out of him? He's not being milked! It looks like juice is coming out of him into a cup-- I'm just saying.
Ok, well what do you think that's about? Come on, now! I I think he's being milked. I think it's a girl lamb or sheep or if
not that, then it's blood. Ok, I think that's probably more likely. That's the Holy Grail. I know to us it's a little bit different because our communion cups look different,
but, yeah, they would have recognized that vessel as being a part of the Eucharist
service and so seeing the blood spilling out from the lamb-- from the
heart of the lamb, really, and into the chalice.
That's the lamb to represent the Lamb of God. Okay, so while we're here, what do you
think about this man? He looks like John the Baptist to me. He's wearing that
camel skin or whatever. He looks like he's from the wilderness, knowing the
Biblical descriptions. He doesn't look as well dressed as some of the others so.. He
has some scriptures open, I mean that would have to be the Old Testament,
obviously. He always said he was, you know, pointing towards the Christ, he was
trying to prepare the way, and so he's literally pointing towards Christ.
There's some words there, um, I'm sure they're Latin, but I don't know what they...
Well, it's a good thing we have somebody that took three years of Latin in high school so..
come on now, T. J., let's hear it. Yeah, well I would definitely know what it was but I
can't read some of those letters, they're smudged out. Oh, it's the visibility? Yeah, that's what it is. Uh huh. Well, I never studied Latin but from what I
read, it is "you must become greater I must become less." Yeah, from John 3:30.
Uh-huh, so-- Well, that's a dead giveaway right there that it's John the Baptist.
Exactly! Yeah, so... Okay to the foot of the cross, any guesses as to who this
woman is? Well, if I was just seeing
just this picture I would guess this is the Mary the mother of Jesus, but because
I saw the woman in white, I'd say that's the Mary Mother of Jesus because she's
being held by John. Yes! Because he says, you know, "Behold woman, this is your son
and son, this is, you know-- John this is your mother. You know, Jesus was passing
so that had to be Mary, the mother of Jesus. So this has to be Mary Magdalene.
Yes, exactly. So, yeah, knowing the Biblical sources for, you know, the crucifixion
scene definitely helps. I was not prepared for this picture, I'm just
pulling this stuff out. Well, way to know your Bible! Okay, well
if you didn't know that, what else would indicate this is Mary Magdalene,
any guesses? Well, she has that long, flowing hair. Yeah, so most art historians
can immediately recognize her for that hair. Any guesses why? Because she washed
Jesus's feet with her hair. Yes, yeah, exactly. I think the Catholic tradition
goes that she actually never cut her hair after washing his feet with her
hair. So she's typically depicted with this long flowing hair, and so she's
sometimes depicted as the sinner at the foot of the cross. And so, yeah, you
already mentioned the Virgin Mary and John, and here you've got Mary in this
white shroud and John is already in the process of comforting her and taking on
that role. Let's go down to the bottom panel and let's look at what's being
depicted down below. What do you think we have here? Well, they're getting ready to
put him in the tomb. Yeah, so this is almost like a pietà scene where we've
got the women that are mourning his death and John is is holding him. And one
thing that people are often curious about is the spotting on his body. When
you look at the crucifixion, you'll notice Jesus has this, kind of,
awkward spotting all over his skin. Oh, I thought that it was just because it was an old painting. Oh,
no, no-- that's actually original to the painting itself. And to a lot of Western
contemporary viewers, it's kind of jarring and curious. And this is
an example of where knowing the context of the work is important--knowing where
it's located. So this was located, as I mentioned, in a hospital dedicated to
Saint Anthony. But actually the hospital was meant to treat people that were
suffering from Saint Anthony's Fire Disease. It was a disease that was kind
of like a gangrene. It's caused through fungus poisoning, and what happens is
that people break out into these spots all over their skin, and they have
convulsions. And eventually, they actually have to get, you know, limbs cut off in
order to try to stop the spread of this horrible disease. People often have to
get fingers amputated, and it was very common that people would
get their legs amputated at the knee and so their legs would often be cut off
because of the spread of this disease. That looks crazy! Yeah, and so knowing the context of the
people that would have seen this on a regular basis were people that were in
severe suffering and and going through a whole lot. So it's a way to identify
Jesus with those people. Exactly! And, I mean, look at the legs here,
and how they are just completely disfigured. And this is split in half
because that's where the two panels would have closed, but look at where he
decided to place-- you see how he cuts it off? Oh, because, like, almost like being
amputated. Exactly, exactly. So the panels would
have been cut in half right there under the knee. Right where most of the people
that would have been viewing it would have been amputated, as well. And so it's
it's definitely a really strong piece that that would have spoken in a more
even visceral way to the viewers suffering with this horrible disease, as
a way of saying God understands your suffering, and even though you're going
through this right now, you have a Christ that can identify and that has also gone
through tremendous amount of suffering through the Incarnation. A very powerful
piece that speaks to the problem of evil and suffering, and using Jesus as a way
of identifying directly with that very thing. And although we're not discussing
any of the imagery in the openings certainly viewers would have found hope
and comfort and encouragement when they saw the first opening image on the
right of Christ triumphant after his resurrection. And although it wasn't an
image that was displayed often, its veiled presence was a hopeful reminder
to all those that were suffering of this disease of the triumph that was to come
in the resurrection for the faithful. Alright, well, I'm glad we got to have a
chance to look at this altarpiece by Grunewald and maybe next time we're in
Europe we'll, uh, swing by to go see it in person, what do you think?
Definitely, yeah. Alright!