PROVENANCE: Judge R. Labordette, Amiens, 1911; Kleinberger Galleries, New York, 1926; W.P. Wilstach, Philadelphia, PA; David Koetser; BJU, 1955.

The Master of the Holy Blood is named after a triptych of the Lamentation , originally painted for the Bruges Brotherhood of the Holy Blood and placed in the Chapel of the Holy Blood (Saint Sang). Although this painter shows some of the typical figural types and arrangements of Gerard David in Bruges (particularly note the figural group in the left of the present work), he also assimilated the more progressive tendencies of Quentin Metsys and the Master of Frankfurt in Antwerp. Their unique compositional arrangements with intertwining figures create a sense of movement and express mood. For example, the tumult of the group on the right communicates tension while the movement of Christ displays His exhausted state. Max J. Friedländer was the first to establish a workable oeuvre for this artist, assigning about 30 works to his hand.

This painting graphically illustrates the purpose of Christ's advent-to come to earth and be sacrificed on the cross to pay the sin-debt of mankind. This portrayal of Christ's ascent to Calvary characterizes the reponses to His affliction. To the right, representing all who reject Christ's salvation, are his torturers and judges unleashing heinous forms of cruelty. To the left are those who have recognized His deity and mourn over the price He has to pay to redeem them.

A number of scholars including George Marlier (1955) and Alfred Scharf (1956) consider this Procession to Calvary to be the most important work existing by the Master of the Holy Blood. The supreme coloration, clarity of execution, and inventive quality of the subject's treatment support their evaluation.