Van der Wyden's Diptych of the Crucifixion

Rogier Van Der Weyden Diptych of the Crucifixion c. 1460-65 Oil on Panel

Van Der Weyden painted a scene spanning two panels depicting a significant event from Christian tradition - the crucifixion of Jesus. On the left panel are two figures. A woman in a milky blue robe (The Virgin Mary) collapses backward, held up by a man in a faintly pink robe (St. John). On the right panel is an image of Jesus hanging from the cross covered only by a strip of white cloth wrapped low across his hips.

Surrounding the figures are few elements making up the composition. Running across the top of both panels is a narrow strip of dark blue, nearly black sky which is met by a stone wall. This wall composes a large portion of the background spanning two thirds of the length of the right panel. On the bottom is a bare parcel of land that slopes downward from the left. Behind the two figures on the left panel and behind the image of Jesus on the right are deep red rectangular drapes of cloth that hang down from the wall. Below the figure of Jesus on the ground are human bones: a skull to the left and a large bone that resembles a femur near the lower right edge.

The figure of Jesus is nailed to a short cross by his hands and feet and is centrally placed within the panel. Blood drips from the wounds caused by the nails as well as from a piercing wound on his right side and from his head where a thorny crown has punctured his flesh. Jesus’ eyes are closed as his head leans down toward the left. On the companion panel the Virgin Mary seems to have collapsed, held from falling by St John who bends down to support her as she leans back with her legs bent in front of her. Her head tilts down and her hands are clenched together in front of her face. Her brow is creased with sorrow and from her downturned eyes tears stream downward. St. John too has tears streaming down his face as he directly gazes toward Jesus on the cross.

The background behind these figures is rather sparse with a shallow sense of space. Mary, John and, Jesus seem to be nearly pressed against the wall behind them. There is a narrow span of sky across the top of the panels, but it is nearly black, creating a flat graphic quality with no suggestion of depth beyond the surface of the panel. The patch of earth at the base of the composition is barren with only a tint of green to suggest vegetation. The ground seems almost to stack on top of itself rather than recede into space, emphasizing the flatness of the image. The wall that dominates a large portion of the background definitely reinforces this shallow space of the image. The wall is grey and neutral in tone as is the entire background of these panels.

The neutrality of the background is offset by the vibrant, red, draped cloth hanging from the grey wall. These representations of fabric frame the figures of John and Mary on the left as well as Jesus on the right panel. The neutrality of the setting paired with these starkly colorful framing devices highlight the figures, making the human drama clearly paramount in this diptych of the crucifixion.