Jesus and John sit together on a bench. It is as though they have become one: even their clothes are intertwined. This tranquil, emotional sculptural group beautifully illustrates John’s position as Christ’s favourite apostle. It is a world-famous work.
Personal bond with God
An intimate bond with Jesus of this kind was what the sisters of the Dominican convent of Sankt Katharinental in Switzerland strove to achieve. They commissioned this sculptural group from Master Heinrich von Konstanz shortly before 1300. Many people at that time yearned for a ‘personal’ bond with God, especially female religious. A sculpture like this helped them to feel this bond.
Specifications
- Master Heinrich von Konstanz
- Christ and St John the Apostle, ca. 1280-1290
- Walnut, gilded and polychromed
Exhibition Beloved. An intimate look at masterpieces
After nearly two years of treatment at the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK), the sculpture can once again be admired with us from July 2025 onwards, in the exhibition Beloved. An intimate look at masterpieces.
In the video below, screenwriter and author Angelo Tijssens explains why this sculpture is his personal favorite, KIK restorer Ingrid Geelen describes the restoration process, and museum director Carl Depauw shares how it came into the possession of Fritz Mayer van den Bergh.
