Man of Sorrows

This tiny altarpiece was designed for private devotional use. It would have been opened during worship, conjuring up the suffering of ChristJesus ChristJesus Christ is the central figure of the Christian religion. The name Christ comes from the Greek 'christos', meaning the anointed one. He was also called 'the son of God'. Christ's life and teachings are described in the New Testament. He was born some 2,000 years ago in Judea. His birth was accompanied by miracles. For instance, his mother was a virgin, called Mary, and his birthplace was a stable. Shepherds were told of his birth by angels and came to worship him as the new king. Jesus grew up as a practicing Jew. But at the age of about 30 he began to proclaim teachings that diverged from Jewish law. A group of disciples gathered around him and his activities brought him into conflict with the authorities. He was eventually condemned to death by crucifixion. According to the Bible, however, he rose from the dead and after his resurrection he was seen by a number of his disciples. Forty days later he departed from the world. But his followers continued to proclaim his teachings. This was the start of Christianity.. The portrayal of the 'Man of Sorrows' was ideal for this purpose: this was a forlorn Christ, bleeding from his wounds, that the viewer would see. The workmanship involves costly materials, using gold and enamel techniques. It was commissioned by someone from the French court: the king himself or one of his noblemen. Very little court art of the period has survived.