Detail of a predella depicting three scenes from the Passion of Christ (northeastern Spain, Crown of Aragon, c. 1440), oil, tempera, gilding and silvering on softwood panel (photo: Natalie Haddad/Hyperallergic)
Treasures of the Medieval World at Luhring Augustine represents what galleries can offer that many museums do not: an up-close and personal experience with museum-worthy artworks, without an admission price. Over 40 works dating from the 12th through the 16th century fill this compact, beautifully curated show. A range of paintings, textiles, wood and stone sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, and other objects of worship serves as a basic primer on European medieval art. Nothing on view greedily demands attention. Instead, the rich color and details of each work invite viewers to spend time looking, and the opportunity to have a relaxed, intimate experience with these pieces should not be missed.
The show opens with a limestone human-dog gargoyle (Southern France, c. 1300–1350), an example of “crude” art meant to contrast with religious imagery. A gilded brass reliquary in the shape of a bust of a martyred saint (Southern Germany or Switzerland, c. 1500) is a particularly otherworldly presence in the show, her eyes gazing back at the viewer, blood dripping from her neck.
The exhibition is a treasure trove of formally and conceptually compelling works. A medievalist would have to explain their significance (a catalog is available to read on the gallery’s website). However, a predella showing three scenes from the Passion of Christ (northeastern Spain, c. 1440) features a powerful image of Christ’s lifeless body, and a carved alabaster retable (England, Midlands, c. 1450) is a show-stopper.
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