SWEET NAME OF JESUS ALTARPIECE

ICONOGRAPHY 

The main body of the altarpiece illustrates a series of six scenes taken from the life of the Holy Virgin: on the lower level, from left to right, we can see the Nativity of Christ Our Lord, the Circumcision of Christ and the Presentation of the Holy Infant in the Temple. The side panels of the upper level contain The Visitation and the Betrothal of the Holy Virgin, followed by the Death and Ascension of St. Mary in the central section. This follows the normal distribution pattern for Flemish-made Mannerist style altarpieces.

Paintings on the predella depict stories concerning the Holy Virgin's parents and illustrate such episodes as the sterile couple being cast out of the temple, the angel announcing the future paternity of Saint Joseph to him and the Offering in the Temple. The most significant episode of this series - the parents of the Holy Virgin Mary standing before the golden door - was probably painted on the altarpiece's original wings which were unfortunately lost in the XIX century.