Jan Mostaert - "The Tree of Jesse" - 1485 - Oil on panel
Out of the old man's abdomen grows a strange tree. Sitting on the branches, which seem to reach up to heaven, are colourfully clothed men. At the top of the tree, the very crown, is the Virgin Mary with her child on her lap and surrounded by angels. The old man is Jesse, ancestor of the royal house which traditionally produced the likes of Solomon, David and Christ. Sitting on the branches of the tree are Jesse's descendants. Artists usually depicted the Jesse tree schematically: a trunk with branches depicting the ancestors of Jesus. Jan Mostaert's approach was different. He turned Jesus' family tree into a real tree, in a monastic garden.
Now Lapin tells me. Better late than never.
That can't be comfortable.
Click on the picture for the larger view.
From the RijksMuseum.
"colorfully clothed men" I see quite a few women - would be fun to have the tree with the "iffy" women of Jesus' lineage as per Matthew.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the tree is growing out of his abdomen.... just sayin'!!
ReplyDelete--it's margaret
Ann, I see ladies, too, besides the Madonna. The lady in white at the bottom on the left looks to be a VIP.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, you can't mean that.
Fascinating, rather disturbed picture. What's with the kid in white, lower left? Seems young to be a donor. Memorial picture?
ReplyDeleteThe tree growing from Jesse's "loins" is common in late medieval western art. There's a far larger, extra-clicable version of it at the museum site you link.
Lapin, thanks. I changed the link.
ReplyDeleteGrandmere, I did. I heard the children practicing reading Isaiah tonight. The tree is growing out of Jesse's stump. Not my words!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, Margaret, if it's in the Bible, then I must concede. And children were reading those words!
ReplyDelete