Abschied Christi von Maria

Martin Schaffner painted this Christ's Farewell to Mary in 1507. The apocryphal scene of Christ saying goodbye to his mother before beginning the Passion was drawn from medieval devotional literature. Schaffner's treatment reflects the emotional devotional culture of late medieval Swabia. The tempera-on-panel medium required a carefully gessoed surface and was painted in fine, precise layers, yielding a luminous, jewel-like surface of great durability.

Oil on panel with Schaffner's warm Ulm palette and careful figure rendering. The intimate farewell scene is staged with attention to the emotional exchange between mother and son.