Isenheim Altarpiece (Crucifixion)

Matthias Grünewald painted the Isenheim Altarpiece Crucifixion around 1515, creating one of the most harrowing images of Christ's death in Western art. The tortured body hangs against a black sky, covered in wounds and thorns. The Virgin collapses in grief while John the Baptist points toward the dying Christ.

The altarpiece was created for a hospital treating skin diseases, and Christ's afflicted body offered spiritual comfort to suffering patients. The painting's emotional intensity and strange coloring make it unforgettable. It remains at the Musée Unterlinden in Colmar, France.