The artwork titled “Werl Altarpiece – St. John the Baptist and the Donor, Heinrich Von Werl,” created by the artist Robert Campin in the year 1438, is an oil painting on panel. It belongs to the Northern Renaissance art movement and falls into the genre of religious painting. With dimensions measuring 47 by 101 cm, this piece is a part of the Werl Altarpiece series and is currently housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.
In the artwork, St. John the Baptist is prominently depicted, identifiable by his traditional attribute of holding a lamb, symbolizing Jesus Christ as the “Lamb of God.” Kneeling beside him appears to be the donor Heinrich von Werl, an ecclesiastical figure dressed in the robes of his order, engaged in prayer. The interior setting is meticulously detailed, complete with a vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows, reflecting the rich and symbolic use of light and space typical of Campin’s style. The artwork’s intricate details and solemn atmosphere effectively convey the spiritual reverence and devotion characteristic of Northern Renaissance religious paintings.
