Calvary, Antonello da Messina
The crucified Christ is flanked by the good and the bad murderer. At the bottom, Mary and John mourn. The skull in the foreground refers to Adam, who was believed to be buried at Golgotha. This painting contains many symbols for death and redemption. The owl refers to sinners turning away from the true faith. The snakes writhing through the skull symbolize death and the devil. The Sicilian Antonella da Messina stayed in Flanders from 1457 to 1460. In this masterpiece he united the northern oil painting technique and the Flemish sense of detail with the southern attention to synthesis and composition. In 1826, Professor Van Rotterdam purchased this work from the Maelscamp van Balsberge family of Ghent. He in turn sold it on to Florent van Ertborn.
