Crucifixion and Last Judgement diptych
Jan van Eyck·1440
Historical Context
The Crucifixion and Last Judgement diptych, attributed to Jan van Eyck and dated around 1440, is a small-scale devotional masterpiece now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The left panel depicts the Crucifixion with unprecedented historical detail, while the right panel presents a terrifying Last Judgement with damned souls in extraordinary variety. The diptych's diminutive size (each panel only 56 x 20 cm) belies its monumental ambition and narrative complexity.
Technical Analysis
The diptych demonstrates Van Eyck's extraordinary ability to work at miniature scale with microscopic precision, packing hundreds of individualized figures into the tiny panels with meticulous oil glazing technique.
