The Mérode Altarpiece: Painting Analysis

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In the time of the Renaissance, religion was the driving force behind almost all artwork. The Mérode Altarpiece, a painting done by Robert Campin in 1426, was no different. The piece consist of three panels each featuring a different religious component. The left panel “depicts the altarpiece’s patrons” (Sayre 90). The middle panel features the most religious symbols. These symbols include the archangel Gabriel, Mary, a miniature Jesus Christ, and an extinguished candle. The third and final panel, shows Joseph. The extinguished candle in the second panel represents Judaism (Sayre 90). This symbolism would help perpetuate anti-Jewish sentiment for many years to come. In this paper, I explore Campin’s Mérode Altarpiece and how it helped