Painted by Matthias Grünewald (1512-1516), Isenheim Altarpiece comes from the convent of the Antonines in Isenheim where it decorated the high altar of commandery church.
Composed of many panels, it is dedicated to to Saint Anthony and is now exposed in the museum of Unterlinden in Colmar.
Jean Clergue-Vila deciphered it for us.
In this first part called "the crucifixion without the cross", it wanted to explore the concept of crucification of Jesus according to Matthias Grünewald.
Secular vision of the work (Jesus done man), explanation of the crucification, lack of realism of painted scenes, signification of the INRI, problem asked by the fixation and the deposition of the torture man, impossibility of a steel studding - everything is described by the author who doesn't stop analyzing the painter's realistic approach and concern of the detail.
He unveils the original Johanism of the Grünewald work through the anachronic presence of Jean-Baptiste at the Golgotha, the game of lights prefiguring the invisible, implying a commentary between the line of the prologue of the Gospel of John.
