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The wounded figure of the dead Christ supported by God the Father is revealed through the clouds. Above them is the dove representing the Holy Spirit. Together the three represent the Holy Trinity. On either side are the grieving figures of the Virgin and Saint John, supporting the body of Christ. They stand in a tomb of dark red marbled stone.

The small figures kneeling on the grass below are probably the family who commissioned the painting from Baldung. Donors are often shown as diminutive to emphasise the distinction between them and the holy personages. The family's coats of arms are shown on the shields on either side of them. The coat of arms to the left is probably that of the Bettschold family of Strasbourg; the other may be that of the Rothschild family. The painting may have been made for St Pierre-le-Vieux in Strasbourg, with which the family were closely connected.

Baldung's painting invites our imaginative participation by stressing the human emotions of the mourners, and presenting even God the Father simply as a grieving parent.

Details

  • Title: The Trinity and Mystic Pietà
  • Creator: Hans Baldung Grien
  • Date Created: 1512
  • Physical Dimensions: 112.3 x 89.1 cm
  • Type: Painting
  • Medium: Oil on oak
  • School: German
  • More Info: Explore the National Gallery’s paintings online
  • Inventory number: NG1427
  • Artist Dates: 1484/5 - 1545
  • Artist Biography: Hans Baldung, who was called Grien, was one of the leading German painters of the early 16th century. He is known for his portraits and secular cabinet pictures as well as for his altarpieces. He was probably trained by Dürer, and was also an accomplished draughtsman and printmaker. In his treatment of landscape there is an affinity with Altdorfer and the Danube School. Hans Baldung was born near Strasbourg, where he later settled. He probably trained with Dürer in Nuremberg, before returning to Strasbourg. He then worked at the Baden court and at Freiburg (1512-17), and settled in Strasbourg soon after. His drawings and prints, like his paintings, show a heightened expressiveness in the tradition of Grünewald, who was active around Strasbourg.
  • Acquisition Credit: Bought, 1894

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