The Supper in the house of Simon, with a kneeling Premonstratensian canon
- Object:
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
- Credit Line:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Download image
This panel from Steinfeld Abbey near Cologne shows Christ taking supper in the house of Simon the Leper. Christ and his disciples are barefoot. Simon is elaborately dressed, complete with shoes. The kneeling figure in white robes is a Premonstratensian canon. On the right is Judas, holding the bag containing the pieces of silver for which he betrayed Christ.
The Order of Premonstratensian Canons was established in 1120 by St Norbert. St Norbert had had a vision of St Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in North Africa and one of the Four Fathers of the Western Church. who had died in 430. In this vision, Augustine advised Norbert to adopt a rule for monastic living which he had outlined. This 'rule' emphasised an active life of preaching the gospel to the people but the canons lived and prayed together in a monastic environment. St Norbert stressed that his canons should be well-educated so that they would be better fit to teach the writings of the Gospel.
Gerhard Remisch was a glass painter and head of a prolific workshop in the Rhineland in the period 1500-1600.
Physical description
Stained glass panel in purple, red, and green glass, with grisaille and yellow stain, depicting The Supper in the House of Simon, with a kneeling Premonstratensian canon.
Place of Origin
Germany (made)
Date
1538 (made)
Artist/maker
Remisch, Gerhard (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Stained glass
Dimensions
Height: 22.75 in, Width: 22.375 in, Weight: 4.2 kg in wooden frame
Object history note
From Steinfeld
Historical context note
The three central figures and the one seated on on the right are later replacements and this has led to confusion in the iconography. Addionally, the large central portion of the base of the panel has been replaced. The Trier MS (1632) described the image as 'Supper in the House of Simon' whereas the Dusseldorf (1719) MS simply describes it as 'Christ at supper with Apostles'. In both descriptions, the donor figure is mentioned along with a text, not surviving, describing who he is and the date 1538.
'Supper at the House of Simon' could refer to one of two occasions in which Christ dined with a man called Simon.
Luke 7:36-50 records when Christ ate at the house of Simon the Pharisee in the city of Nain. A woman of great sin came in and annointed Christ's feet and begged for forgiveness. Simon was annoyed with her.
Matthew (26: 6-13) and Mark (14: 3-9) record a similar event but at the house of Simon the Leper in Bethany. In this account, unspecified disciples were offended by the woman.
John (12: 1-11) relates that Christ and some of his disciples dined in Bethany at Lazarus' house along with his sisters, Mary and Martha. In this account, Mary washes and annoints Christ's feet and Judas is upset by her actions.
It is reasonable to assume that the event originally depicted in this panel is that of 'Christ at the House of Mary and Martha' because of the inclusion of the bag carried by Judas and the gesture made by the seated figure on the left.
Descriptive line
Stained glass panel depicting The Supper in the House of Simon, with a kneeling Premonstratensian canon, by Gerhard Remisch, German, dated 1538.
STG
Subjects depicted
Jesus Christ; Christianity; Table; Halo; Canon
Categories
Christianity; Stained Glass
Collection code
CER
