Embossed gilt leather panel with a representation of the crucification with Mary, St. John and Mary Magdalene, De Rijsende Son factory, Amsterdam, ca. 1650-1658. The design is based on an engraving of 'The Crucifixion' by Maarten de Vos.

Embossed gilt leather panel, with a representation of the crucification with Mary, St. John and Mary Magdalene. In the clouds the symbols of the four evangelists are depicted: left the bull and the angel, right: the lion and the eagle. The panel is mounted on its original wooden panel, with a filling of papier-mache.

Identical panels in V&A, museum number W.8-1980; Deutsches Ledermuseum, Offenbach am Main, inventory number 2524; coll Colomer-Munmany, Vic (Sp.), inventory number C812; Schloss Köpenick, Berlin, inventory number K 9239b; Musée Episcopal, Vic (Sp.), inventory number 6045; Musée National de la Renaissance, Ecouen, inventory number A15062; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inventory number BK 1994-1; Museum of Leathercraft, Northampton, inventory number unknown; Church in Somerset. (letter J.W. Waterer 27/02/1973, RP 79/2457). Identically stamped panels from a private collection in France adn rom the Deutsches Tapetenmuseum, Kassel, Germany, are illustrated in Jean-Pierre Fournet, Cuirs Dorées, "Cuirs de Cordoue", un Art Européen (Château de Saint-Remy-en-l'Eau: Editions Monelle Hayot, 2019), p. 151, figs. 204a&b.


The panel has been produced by Willem van den Heuvel or by Jacob Hamer, both gilt leather makers in Amsterdam.

Of this pattern exists a second version with slight alterations, amongst this the clouds and the distance between the feet of Christ and the hands of Marie Magdalene.

Attributed to the De Rijsende Son factory of the Van den Heuvel family.

This leather panel depicts Christ's crucifixion with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Christ and St John. It would have served, framed, for personal devotion.

The design of the panel was formed by pressing damp, pliable leather into a mould, and enhancing the design with some embossing from the reverse of the panel. Once the design had been worked in relief, it was covered with silver leaf (and possibly coloured glazes), giving a beautiful and subtle modelling to low relief. As the technique lends itself to reproduction, it is not surprising that 16 other virtually identical panels have been traced.

55-1876