Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows (right wing of diptych)

This painting, together with the Brussels panel, formed a diptych that is exceptional for early painting in the Netherlands, solely due to its monumental size. Furthermore, this diptych should be considered a centrepiece in Isenbrant’s diverse body of work, given its high quality. The iconography of the painting reflects the growing popularity of the ‘Compassio Mariae’ in Bruges since the late 15th century. The theme of the Seven Sorrows was an important subject of lay devotion in the Southern Netherlands. The Bruges panel is innovative in the way it replaces the traditional medallions depicting the seven sorrows with an architectural framework that incorporates the scenes. The formal language and ornamentation of this simulated architecture have a Renaissance feel, while the individual scenes are predominantly rooted in the older Flemish visual tradition. The patron, Joris van de Velde, had himself depicted with his entire family and patron saints on the left panel. This exceptional combination of portraits and the Our Lady of Sorrows on the other side can be explained by the diptych’s representative function as an epitaph.