Christ taking leave of his Mother

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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The subject of Christ bidding farewell to his mother, the Virgin Mary, as he heads to Jerusalem to face his arrest, trial and death was very popular in southern Germany. This is a fragment of a larger painting, which has been cut at the right edge -- only Christ's hands and part of his long crimson robe remain. The main focus of the image is the swooning Virgin Mary, who has collapsed into the arms of her companions.Huber was skilled at expressing emotion through gesture and this is probably his most expressive and dramatic image. The composition, with the holy women to the left and Christ standing to the right, is similar to a version of the scene by Albrecht Altdorfer, which is also in the National Gallery's collection. Huber may have been inspired by Altdorfer's painting, which was made slightly earlier.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Christ taking leave of his Mother

Date

about 1520

Medium

Oil on fir

Measurements

H 95.5 x W 68.2 cm

Accession number

NG6550

Acquisition method

Bought, 1995

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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