Established around 1300, the Isenheim monastery belonged to Saint Anthony’s order, which had been founded in the Dauphiné region of France in the 11th century. The monks of the Antonite order ministered to victims of Saint Anthony’s fire, a horrible illness that was common in the Middle Ages. This calamity’s cause is now known to be poisoning from a fungus (ergot) that grows on rye grass, thus contaminating the rye flour used in making bread. Ergot contains a chemical that drives its victims mad and results in gangrene of the hands and feet due to constriction in blood flow to the extremities. To care for the sick, the Antonites served them good quality bread and had them drink a concoction called saint vinage, a holy fortified wine, in which the monks had first macerated a special blend of herbs and then soaked the relics of Saint Anthony. They also produced a salve from herbs possessing anti-inflammatory properties. (from Musée d'UnterLinden, Colmar, where the altarpiece is now)
The two-sided polyptych (as it's called, meaning painting on many panels) was placed in the hospital chapel. Margaret pointed out, as I recall, the artist, Mathis Gothart Nithart (Matthias Grünewald), had painted the agony of the crucified Christ with stark realism, previously not depicted, so that hands are contorted in pain, the body torturously twisted. And so, the victims would be reminded, as they meditated looking at it, that Jesus understood their pain. They weren't on their own. Not only that, when the side panels were opened, they would have seen the resurrection portrayed on the right-hand side - reminding them of the hope awaiting them beyond death. In a sense, the paintings depict the whole gospel for sufferers of a incurable and disfiguring disease: God entered this world of humanity. He suffered in our place and shared the experience of suffering with us. He died, but rose to life, drawing death's sting and giving us hope for future life with him.
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We call it Easter. I hope you well and truly enjoy it - whatever your circumstances. He is risen indeed!
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