# Passion Altarpiece [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [UNKNOWN MASTER, Flemish]() - Date: 1451-1500 - Technique: Oak, 88,5 x 87,5 cm ## Commentary Brabant workshops were world-famous in the 15th and 16th centuries for their carved and painted altarpieces. These works were not only designed for local use, they were exported all over Europe. Some altarpieces were extremely large, and only a few were produced on a miniature scale. This example in the Mater van den Bergh Museum is one of them. Small altarpieces of this kind were undoubtedly intended for private use. The little Passion altarpiece corresponds in form and style to the works produced in Brussels in around 1500. The mark of the Brussels joiners who made the case can still be seen, confirming the city of origin. It was once possible to close the altarpiece by means of painted wings. As so often, however, these have been lost. Nevertheless, the beautifully painted groups of carved figures tell us a great deal about the artistic talent of the painter and the rich colour scheme that must once have characterized the piece. <P> <TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR="\#99CCCC"> <TR VALIGN=MIDDLE><TD><IMG SRC="/support/gif/listen.gif" BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE> Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 8 minutes\):<BR><A HREF="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/music1/bach/bach\_bwv\_244\_matthew.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true"><B>Johann Sebastian Bach: St. Matthew Passion BWV 244 \(excerpts\)</B></A> </TD></TR></TABLE> ## Related artworks - [A Young Witch]() - [Adam and Eve]() - [Adam and Eve]() - [Adam and Eve]() - [Adoration of the Magi \(detail\)]() - [Adoration of the Magi \(detail\)]() - [Adoration of the Magi \(detail\)]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()