A second life for the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’

Bouts’ masterpiece shines once more in Granada

A second life for the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’

Almost two years ago, you could have visited M to see Dieric Bouts’ ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’. Missed your chance? Then you will have to travel to Granada: the work returned this June to the Capilla Real, where it has been displayed for the past 500 years.

The ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ was exhibited at M from October 2023 to April 2024. It was first shown as part of the major retrospective exhibition ‘Dieric Bouts. Creator of Images’ and subsequently in the smaller presentation ‘Atelier Bouts’, which focused on scholarly research and what it has taught us about Bouts’ oeuvre and working methods.

The painter himself remains an obscure figure. He was probably born in Haarlem around 1415 but spent most of his adult life in Leuven. He maintained a studio in the city, married the daughter of a wealthy patrician there in 1448 and even became city painter in 1468.

Scholars date the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ to between 1455 and 1460. In any case, the work must have been painted after 1453, as Bouts depicts the spire of St Gertrude’s Church in Leuven on the central panel – an architectural masterpiece completed only that year. We do not know who commissioned the work, but it was probably a ‘converso’, a Spanish Jew who had converted to Christianity. This was recently deduced from an examination of the inscription on the cross. The Hebrew text is clearly legible and correct – an exceptional feature in a 15th-century Flemish painting. It reads ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of Israel’, rather than ‘King of the Jews’, as in the Latin.

Be that as it may, the history of the work is well documented from 1521 onwards. That year, it was placed in the newly built Capilla Real in Granada, next to the cathedral. Queen Isabella of Castile had stipulated this in her will – she is thought to have purchased the work in 1494. The triptych remained in the Capilla Real for the next 500 years.

‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’, detail from the central panel showing the spire of St Gertrude’s Church in Leuven

‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ (detail of the inscription on the cross), Dieric Bouts, c. 1450–1458 © KIK-IRPA, Brussels

Open joints

In the early 2020s, M decided to dedicate a retrospective exhibition to Dieric Bouts. For the first time in five centuries, the triptych left the Capilla Real and made the long journey back to the Low Countries. This provided a unique opportunity not only to display the work in the city where it was created, but also to examine and restore the piece. To this end, M established a partnership with the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK) in Brussels and the Capilla Real.

On 28 June 2023, the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ arrived at KIK. There, ahead of the major Bouts exhibition, it underwent a thorough examination using advanced imaging techniques. The findings were presented in a smaller exhibition, ‘Atelier Bouts’. Afterwards, in May 2024, the restoration work commenced.

It was urgently needed. In the 18th century, parts of the work were sawn away to make it fit into a new altarpiece. Horizontal slats were also fitted to the back of the central panel as reinforcement. These did more harm than good: because the wood could no longer expand and contract naturally, the paint layer began to crack at the joints. Extensive areas of overpainting covered sections where the paint layer had been damaged and was flaking. This overpainting was often discoloured as well, making it stand out against the original layers of paint.

The side panels were in better condition but, like the central panel, were covered with a yellowed layer of varnish. As a result, the entire work had a dull, dark appearance.

‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ (side panels awaiting restoration), Dieric Bouts, c. 1450–1458 © KIK-IRPA Brussels

‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ (side panels after restoration), Dieric Bouts, c. 1450–1458 © KIK-IRPA Brussels

An astonishing result

The conservators removed the horizontal slats from the central panel. They also removed the overpainting and varnish – sometimes using solvents, sometimes a scalpel. It was an exceptionally precise and delicate procedure, but one that yielded a stunning result. For the first time in ages, Bouts’ vivid colours shone once more, and finely painted details were revealed beneath the overpainting. The conservators stabilised the paint on the three panels, retouched areas of damage and filled in gaps – all using reversible materials, in accordance with the strictest conservation principles. Where the paint layer had disappeared completely, they were able to draw on an exceptional resource: high-resolution photographs of a remarkably accurate copy of the triptych, dating from around 1500 and preserved in the Museo del Patriarca in Valencia.

The restoration of the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ at the KIK: during the gluing of the panels

The restoration of the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’ at the KIK

Virtuoso

For the first time in centuries, we can once again appreciate the masterful craftsmanship of the ‘Triptych of the Descent from the Cross’: the rich landscape, the refined facial expressions, the texture of the sumptuous fabrics, the sheen of the armour and helmets, the subtle interplay of light and shadow… The triptych is now fully restored and ready to face the next 500 years.

The work has been on display once again in the Capilla Real in Granada since June. Its return was celebrated with an exhibition in the royal chapel itself, featuring substantive and academic contributions from M Leuven and KIK. An international Bouts symposium was also held, at which specialists from across Europe shared their research. A fitting tribute to a work of art that once again shines in its historic setting.