Joseph of Arimathea Before Pilate (Ms. Ludwig IX 19, fol. 311v, from the Prayer Book of Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg)

Simon Bening · about 1525–1530
Getty Center, Los Angeles

From the prayer book of Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, painted by Simon Bening in Bruges about 1525–1530. Bening often set Gospel scenes in the streets and squares of a Flemish town.

Joseph of Arimathea, an old man in a green robe, kneels on the steps before Pilate, who stands in rich brocade at the left. Behind them stretches a square with tall houses and a church spire.

From the text

Joseph boldly goes to Pilate to ask for the body (Mark 15:43)

Pilate grants the body to Joseph (Mark 15:45)

The artist’s own

A Flemish square like those of Bruges

Pilate in a turban and brocade gown

Details

Joseph

He kneels in a green robe.

Pilate

He stands in a rich brocade gown.

The square

Houses and a church tower.

Onlookers

Men watch from the side.

Simon Bening (Flemish, about 1483–1561). The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (Ms. Ludwig IX 19 (83.ML.115), fol. 311v) · Tempera colors, gold paint, and gold leaf · Images provided here are believed to be in the public domain and are available under CC0 through Getty’s Open Content Program. (Getty record: "No Copyright", http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)