St. Andrew (left wing of a diptych, reverse) 1490

This is Hans Memling's painting of St. Andrew, made in Bruges with oil on panel. It is one half of a diptych. Memling was working in a period when the identities of those who commissioned art began to be included in the imagery itself. Here, St. Andrew, holding his cross, is depicted in devotion, his fingers clasped around a rosary. The dark, muted colors reflect a somber mood, which is accentuated by St. Andrew’s quietly downcast gaze. As one of Christ’s apostles, St. Andrew holds a revered place in Christian history. Tradition holds that he was martyred on a saltire cross, which became his identifying symbol. Memling, however, presents a more personal, human, and intimate vision. The inclusion of the coat of arms at the top-left and top-right suggests the patron's desire to be associated with St. Andrew, thus emphasizing the link between religious identity and personal status.