Coffin or vestry chest

XVth century

This vestry chest is unique in the Romanian cultural heritage, being reminescent of the great art of the 15th century Italian Renaissance, be it Florentine, Venetian, or Genovese. The seven compositions, out of which the scene of the Crucifixion is the largest, are placed on three registers. The movements, faces and attitudes of the characters are varied, differentiated from each other, depending on the events they go through. There are a number of details, like Judas’ kiss or the angel on the cross of the penitent thief, which fill the images with suggestive accents and confer obvious moralizing significances to the religious message. All the scenes are framed by a rectangular border, adorned with vegetal stems and oak leaves among which figures of saints, angels, lions, and dragons can be seen.


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