Title

Mourning over the death and Resurrection of Christ

Anónimo castellano

Zamora, Fray Alonso de [attributed to] [circle of] (Active in Burgos around 1480–1510)

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Object history

According to Post (1933) and Gaya Nuño (1958), these works are by a painter associated with the circle of the Master of Oña, a hypothesis we consider accurate. This master was Fray Alonso de Zamora, an artist associated with the Monastery of Oña in the last quarter of the 15th century. If we examine the scenes ofthe Lamentation over the Dead Christ and the Resurrection, we can see elements reminiscent of Fernando Gallego, Alonso Sedano, and the Master of the Balbases, who exerted a great influence on Fray Alonso de Zamora.  

The Provincial Archaeological Museum of Burgos houses eight tapestries depicting scenes from the Passion that were attributed to Fray Alonso de Zamora; however, Silva Maroto (1990) cast doubt on this attribution. This author considered that they might be the work of a younger member of the workshop,“trained under his direction and with a style derived from his own.” These sargas bear a close resemblance to Lamentation over the Dead Christ and the Resurrection; therefore, we believe they may have been created by the same artist.

If we look at Lamentation over the Dead Christ, we can see great similarities with the sargas of The Flagellation or The Crucifixion of Christ:the figures have bulging eyes, closely set eyebrows, pointed beards, and fair complexions. Furthermore, the gray and pink architectural elements in the background are very similar to those found in The Way to Calvary and The Crucifixion of Christ. The same is true of The Resurrection, both in the characters’ features and in the architecture. Furthermore, the armor and shields carried by the soldiers resemble those in The Way to Calvary.

Therefore, we believe that these two panels were painted by a disciple of Fray Alonso de Zamora, likely the same artist who created the eight canvases depicting scenes from the Passion, now preserved in the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Burgos.

We do not know the original location of the panels. However, considering the areas where Fray Alonso de Zamora and his workshop were active, it is plausible to assume that they originated in the province of Burgos. It is also unknown when they left their original location, but in 1901 they were sold in Turin through Fernand Scribe (Gaya Nuño, 1958) to the Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Ghent, where they are currently housed.

Description

The first scene depicts the Lamentation over the Dead Christ, who is accompanied by the Virgin Mary, Saint John, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus. As for the Resurrection of Christ, he wears a rich brooch fastening his cloak. The sarcophagus is placed crosswise, and on either side are the sleeping soldiers. The soldiers’ poses are reminiscent of certain works by the Master of the Balbases. Both the figures and the architectural elements in the background of both panels resemble the works produced by Fray Alonso de Zamora.

Locations

• Last quarter of the XV^th c.

  province

  Possible origin in the province of Burgos, Burgos (Spain)

• ca. 1901

  region

  Turin, Turín (Italy)

• ca. 1901 - present

  museum

  Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent, Gante (Belgium)