Hans von Aachen Circle

Circle of HANS VON AACHEN (Cologne, 1552 - Prague, 1615).
"Christ at the tomb of two angels".
Oil on oak panel.
It presents faults and restorations on the pictorial surface and the board is warped.
Measurements: 26 x 34,5 cm.
In this work the theme of the lamentation of the body of Christ is expressed in a more intimate way than in previous periods, simplifying the composition and eliminating all possible elements. Thus, the body of the dead Christ articulates the image, located in the center, and behind him are two angels. In the present painting, the characters appear, cut out against a black background that enhances their volumes, only illuminated by two candles behind the face of Christ, so that the scene acquires an atmosphere of theatrical character, as well as revealing the interior of the cave and providing a greater spatial sensation to the scene. The bodies are modeled with an energetic brushstroke, selectively illuminated, a resource that undoubtedly contributes to accentuate the devotional and emotional message contained in the work. The author also manages to masterfully express both the physical pain, through the open wound in Christ's side and his sunken belly. The scene of the lamentation or weeping over the body of the dead Christ is part of the cycle of the Passion, and is interspersed between the Descent from the Cross and the Holy Burial. It is a very emotional theme, fruit of popular piety, which concentrates the attention on the drama of the Passion and the loving and mournful contemplation, with a realistic and moving sense.
Hans von Aachen was one of the main representatives of northern mannerism. A versatile and productive artist, he worked in many genres. He was successful as a painter of princely and aristocratic portraits, and also painted religious, mythological and allegorical subjects. Known for his skill in depicting nudes, his eroticized mythological scenes especially pleased his main patron, Emperor Rudolf II, and remain the works for which he is best known. He also painted a series of genre pictures with small groups of figures shown from the chest up, laughing, often, it seems, using himself and his wife as models. Von Aachen tended to work on a small scale and many of his works are cabinet paintings on copper. Hans von Aachen's life and work are a unique testimony to the cultural transfer between northern, southern and central Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries After training in the tradition of Dutch Renaissance painting, the artist moved to Italy in 1574, where he remained for some 14 years, working mainly in Venice. In 1587 he returned to his native Germany, where he took up residence in Munich (Bavaria). His last years were spent in Prague. The combination of the Dutch realism of his training and the Italian influences acquired during his travels gave rise to his unique pictorial style.