Lamentation (recto)Saints Clare and Elizabeth (verso)
- Artist: Spain early 16th century (Seilern Master) (Artists)
- Date: (circa) 1500 - 1520
- Medium: oil on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Lamentation (recto)Saints Clare and Elizabeth (verso), a double‑panel oil on panel painted in Spain in the early 16th century by the Seilern Master. The recto shows a dramatic depiction of the Lamentation, with the body of Christ laid out on the ground, surrounded by a circle of mourners. The use of rich, deep colors—deep reds, bruised blues, and the muted gold of the halo—creates a solemn atmosphere. The artist’s brushwork is fluid, with a subtle chiaroscuro that brings depth to the figures and the architectural background. The composition emphasizes the collective grief of the apostles, while the tender gesture of the Virgin’s hand conveys an almost human sense of loss. Turning to the verso, we see Saints Clare and Elizabeth, each rendered with distinct iconographic attributes: Clare in her habit and a monstrance, Elizabeth in a modest robe holding a lily. Their serene faces and gestures contrast with the intense emotion of the recto, offering a quiet moment of reflection. Together, these panels showcase the Seilern Master’s ability to blend narrative drama with delicate spiritual contemplation, typical of early Spanish panel painting around 1500 to 1520.
See it in person
Lamentation (recto)Saints Clare and Elizabeth (verso) hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
