Calvary with a Carthusian Monk1389–95 · Study 1964.454

Context from the museum

Jean de Beaumetz became the official court painter to the Burgundian duke, Philip the Bold, in 1376. Between 1389 and 1395 he created devotional paintings for the monks’ cells at the Chartreuse de Champmol, the monastery founded by Philip and his wife Margaret to house the ducal tombs. This panel, originally one of 26, is only one of two that have survived; the second is preserved in the Louvre in Paris. The Carthusians were intensely devoted to the Passion of Christ; particularly bloody images of the Crucifixion often decorated their cells. Isolated from one another, the monks contemplated the sacrifice of Christ (emphasized here by the presence of a Carthusian monk at the foot of the cross) creating an empathetic connection with the suffering of the Virgin who faints in the arms of the two Marys. Saint John the Evangelist, on the right, bows his head in sorrow. The punched decoration in the gold background represents the Trees of Life and Knowledge, emphasizing the biblical connection between Adam and Christ.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Records exist detailing the delivery of the this panel and 25 others to the monastery Chartreuse de Champmol, for use in the monks' cells.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Calvary with a Carthusian Monk is 45.7 cm wide and 56.6 cm high, equivalent to approximately 18.0 × 22.3 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.81:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.26 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 15.2% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 127.2 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Calvary with a Carthusian Monk in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on oak panel, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 45.7 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?