The Passion of Christ in Art

Fantastic online course from the Wallace Collection looking at how the Easter story has been depicted in art.

Over two mornings Richard Stemp used a set of Limoges plaques from circa 1600 from the Wallace collection which are based on Durer’s Small Passion Woodcut set published in 1511 as the base of his narrative of the events of Holy Week and how they have been shown in art. He outlined where the gospel accounts differed and how artists had dealt with those differences. In addition he followed events via Duccio’s Maesta 1308-11, Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel 1305 and Tilman Riemenschneider’s “Altarpiece of the Holy Blood” 1499-1505 as well as other examples of narrative works.

He also pointed out little known works from the Wallace Collection showing these events from manuscript fragments, majolica works and even a suit of armour. I can’t wait to get back there and poke around some of the more crowded rooms to look for these gems.

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