Epitaph with the scene of the Crucifixion

The epitaph painting depicts the Crucifixion scene and the founders' family. It features the motif of a lone Christ dying on a cross under a cloudy sky known in Baroque art both in Italy (Guido Reni) and the Netherlands (Peter Paul Rubens and Anton van Dyck). In the Pomeranian painting workshops, such a composition was often used in epitaphs. When painting the figure of Christ, the artist in Szczecin modelled his work on the Flemish school, more specifically on the work of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), popularised through the 1631 work by Paulus Pontius. Painfully gazing up at the sky, Christ has a crown of thorns on his head, around which a halo glows. Nailed to the cross is a card with inscriptions in three languages – Hebrew, Greek and Latin – which proclaim: "Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews". In the background, members of the family of the epitaph's founders stand on either side of the cross. On the left, an elderly man is portrayed alone, dressed in dark attire with a long black coat thrown over his shoulders and a white jabot, tied at the neck with a wide black ribbon arranged in the shape of a bowtie. On the right, two adult women and four girls in front of them are dressed in clothing characteristic of the 3rd quarter of the 17th century. The girls are in identical black dresses with white puff sleeves and collars decorated with black bows. The older of the women, depicted in more modest clothing, has a white cap and a fur hat on her head. The other woman’s outfit is adorned with lace and jewels, such as a double string of pearls hanging from her neck. She holds a lemon in her hand – an exclusive product at the time, indicative of wealth, but also a symbol of hope for resurrection and eternal life. The purple rose held in her other hand indicates sadness and mourning. The walls and towers of the city can be seen in the distance. A single beam of light illuminates the clouds above Christ's head. Justyna Bądkowska