The Resurrection, With The Martyrdom Of Saint is a painting commissioned by Tommaso Portinari, an Italian banker based in Bruges. It is a triptych with the left and right panels depicting the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian and the Ascension of Christ. Hans Memling painted this piece in c. 1490.
The donor portrait in the center panel shows Tommaso Portinari and his wife. The Resurrection cross depicted in the painting is a symbol of Christ’s power and conquest over death and hell. This relatively small painting likely served as a devotional image in someone’s home instead of being used as an altarpiece.
Memling was one of the most prolific portraitists of his time and often used landscape backgrounds in his paintings; however, this painting has a more symbolic background rather than chiaroscuro effects that he commonly employed.
In summary, The Resurrection, With The Martyrdom Of Saint by Hans Memling is approximately 35 x 29 cm triptych commissioned by Tommaso Portinari that likely served as a devotional image rather than an altarpiece. It features donor portraits of Tommaso Portinari and his wife along with depictions of Saint Sebastian’s martyrdom on one side panel and Christ’s Ascension on another side panel. Additionally, it showcases Memling’s ability to use symbolism effectively rather than relying solely on naturalistic elements like landscapes or lighting effects to create mood or depth for viewer experience.
