<a href="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/isenheim.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-947" src="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/isenheim-1024x722.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="344" /></a>
<p style="text-align: center"><em>(source: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/upload/q3936954.jpg)</em></p>
The Isenheim Altarpiece was by a painter, draughtsman, and hydraulic engineer named Mattias Grunewald (1475-1528) sometime between year 1512 to 1516 (Kristin Lohse Belkin). The Isenheim Altarpeice is divided into three parts which culminates to depict the Resurrection of Christ, a vivid masterpiece painted in reds, gold, and greens (“The Arts”). <!--more-->The central area of the altarpiece contains of saints carved by Von Hagenauer  in 1503 (“Matthias Grunewald”). The altarpiece can be folded in a way to depict different biblical events to suit different religious occasions. When the altarpiece is folded, it depicts the Crucifixion of Christ, which portrays a very macabre, horrific, and agonizing depiction of Christ on the cross in the darkness. Christ is shown as sinewy, with limbs distorted, with blood streaming from his body, and wounds visible on his skin. Yet, if folded in a different way, shows the ascension of Christ, who flies above the soldiers that guard his dead body. His skin has no wounds and afflictions and his hair and beard are painted in gold. The Isenheim Altarpiece stands to be the most intriguing, shocking, and beautiful of all of his works for it represents hope for divine intervention from the suffering of the world.

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The Altarpiece was typical for its time for it’s depictions of different scenes from the bible since much of the artwork in Europe relate to religious themes. Yet, it was unique in it’s depiction of Resurrection in that it portrayed a horrifying and gruesome image of Christ’s crucifixion. Grunewald lived during the time of Albrecht Drurer, one of the main, historical figures of the German Renaissance and is said to be influenced by Drurer‘s work (“The Arts”). Grunewald’s altarpiece was perhaps the prime reason why many he is still remembered today. Out of all of his works, the Isenhiem Altarpiece remains his most defining piece. Most of Grunewald’s works were either destroyed or forgotten. The few works that remains today display the same atmosphere was the Isenheim Altarpiece. Philip Melachthon, a close associate of Martin Luther, ranked him just behind Albrecht Durer (“The Arts”). The same spirit of melancholy and religious fervor can be found in Durer’s work in this “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” in which the four horsemen in the picture represent Christ, Famine, War, and Death. Like the Isenheim Altarpiece, it presents a dramatic, terrifying, and an almost realistic depiction of a religious scene.

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Although the Isenheim Altarpiece is still celebrated today as one of the most definitive works of the early German Renaissance, it’s reception is not quite the same today as it was back then. In an world where perceptions and beliefs change over time, Grunewald, who was once celebrated for his work, was not held in high esteem as Albrecht Drurer and his works largely forgotten over time. However, in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century, a sudden fascination with Grunewald grew as his work was rediscovered. Expressionist painters admired his work and there was even an opera in 1934, “Mathis der Maler,” that tells of Grunewald’s life (“Matthias Grunewald”).

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I personally find the piece to be interesting because it portrays a very vivid, macabre, and grotesque vision of Christ. Unlike many works that portray the Crucifixion of Christ, the Isenheim Altarpiece grabs the viewer on a much more emotional level due to it‘s realism.

Little is known about Grunewald’s life, but his artwork remains to be preserved and discovered. He is known for created such dramatic and intriguing artworks that have captivated many people throughout the ages. Unlike many famous artists, Grunewald remains a mystery, but perhaps his life can be told through his works. What the future generations should learn from this Isenheim Altarpiece is that perhaps one can tell one’s story by what one creates or contributes in his or her life.

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<p style="text-align: center">Works Cited:</p>
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"Dürer, Albrecht." <em>Renaissance and Reformation Reference Library</em>. Ed. Julie L.    Carnagie, Peggy Saari, and Aaron Saari. Vol. 3: Vol. 1: Biographies. Detroit:     UXL, 2002. 96-104. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

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“Grünewald.” <em>The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture</em>. Murray, Peter.    Murray, Linda. UK: Oxford University Press, 1996. Netlibrary. Web 4 April 2011.

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Kristin Lohse Belkin  "Grünewald, Matthias"  <em>The Oxford Companion to Western Art</em>.       Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001. Oxford Reference Online.   Oxford University Press.  Austin Community College.  4 April 2011       &lt;http://www.oxfordreference.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/views/ENTRY.html?subv            iew=Main&amp;entry=t118.e1128&gt;.

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"Matthias Grünewald." <em>Encyclopedia of World Biography</em>. 2nd ed. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale,   2004. 23-24. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

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"The Arts in Sixteenth-Century Northern Europe." <em>Arts and Humanities Through the         Eras</em>. Ed. Edward I. Bleiberg, et al. Vol. 4: Renaissance Europe 1300-1600.         Detroit: Gale, 2005. 412-420. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

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