Tempelhof Altarpiece

The Tempelhof Altarpiece is an oil on panel painting from circa 1445, by the German artist Jost Haller, today in the collection of the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, Alsace (inventory number 88.RP.142). It had originally belonged to the commandery of the Order of Saint John, also called the Tempelhof, of Bergheim near Colmar, where it was used as a church altarpiece. After it was confiscated in 1793, at the height of the French Revolution, it became "state owned" (bien national), before eventually becoming an item of the museum's collection.[1][2]

Tempelhof Altarpiece
French: Retable du Tempelhof de Bergheim
ArtistJost Haller
Yearcirca 1445
Mediumoil paint on fir wood
MovementInternational Gothic
Christian art
SubjectJohn the Baptist
Saint George and the Dragon
Dimensions89.4 cm × 212 cm (35.2 in × 83 in)[1]
LocationUnterlinden Museum, Colmar
Accession1852

The left half of the painting depicts John the Baptist (the patron saint of the Order of Saint John) preaching to a crowd while pointing at Jesus, who stands close to the middle. The right half shows Saint George, a Saint George's Cross prominently displayed on his chest, slaying the dragon under the eyes of the princess. Standing close to the middle as well, but back-to-back with Jesus, she's dressed in flamboyant red with a little green on the sleeves, while Jesus is dressed in purple and a less fiery red.

References
  1. "Retable du Tempelhof de Bergheim : Prédication de Jean-Baptiste et Combat de saint Georges". webmuseo.com. Musée Unterlinden. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  2. Haas, Magali (April 2016). Le musée Unterlinden - Guide des collections. Paris: Éditions Artlys. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-2-85495-625-2.
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