Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Chantrey Bequest
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/philip-hermogenes-calderon-77" aria-label="More by Philip Hermogenes Calderon" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Philip Hermogenes Calderon</a>
St Elizabeth Hungarys Great Act Renunciation
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1891
abstract concepts
actions: postures and motions
actions: processes and functions
adults
altar
architecture
church
Conrad
crucifix
female
friar / monk
interiors
Kingsley, Charles, ‘A Saint’s Tragedy’
kneeling
literature (not Shakespeare)
literature and fiction
looking / watching
man
material world - possessions
medieval
named individuals
nudes
nun
objects
people
periods and styles
prayer
religion and belief
religious
religious
religious and ceremonial
Saints
St Elizabeth of Hungary
symbols and personifications
universal religious imagery
woman
work and occupations
<p>Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) was the wife of Lewis, Landgrave of Thuringia. After his death in 1227 during one of the Crusades, she entered a convent and devoted herself to good works. Before becoming a nun, she passed through a spiritual crisis, torn by the need to renounce the world, and therefore her children, in order to fulfil her desire to serve God. Pressed by a domineering monk, Conrad, whose natural affections had been starved by celibacy, Elizabeth finally vowed that 'naked and barefoot' she would follow her 'naked Lord'. Calderon's picture shows this moment of self-abasement. Calderon took his subject from a play by Charles Kingsley, 'The Saint's Tragedy', first published in 1848. It was based on fact.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 1998</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
1 November 2001 – 31 August 2003
2003-08-31
6 September 2002 – 5 January 2003
2003-01-05
2002-09-06
Brooklyn Museum of Art (New York, USA)
2001-11-01
Exposed: The Victorian Nude
Exhibition
St Elizabeth of Hungary’s Great Act of Renunciation
support: 1530 × 2134 mm
Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1891
<p>Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) was the wife of  Lewis, Landgrave of Thuringia. After his death in  1227 during one of the Crusades, she entered a  convent and devoted herself to good works. Before  becoming a nun, she passed through a spiritual  crisis, torn by the need to renounce the  world, and therefore her children, in order to  fulfil her desire to serve God. Pressed by a  domineering monk, Conrad, whose natural affections  had been starved by celibacy, Elizabeth finally  vowed that 'naked and barefoot' she would follow  her 'naked Lord'. Calderon's picture shows this  moment of self-abasement. <br/>Calderon took his subject from a play by Charles  Kingsley, 'The Saint's Tragedy', first published  in 1848. It was based on fact.</p>
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1998-09-15T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
abstract concepts actions: postures and motions actions: processes and functions adults altar architecture church Conrad crucifix female friar / monk interiors Kingsley, Charles, ‘A Saint’s Tragedy’ kneeling literature and fiction literature (not Shakespeare) looking / watching man material world - possessions medieval named individuals nudes nun objects people periods and styles prayer religion and belief religious religious religious and ceremonial Saints St Elizabeth of Hungary symbols and personifications universal religious imagery woman work and occupations