Spiritual Bridegroom or Historical Document? Another Look at the Diptych of the Lentulus Letter

Abstract

The late fifteenth-century Diptych of the Lentulus Letter is a unique artwork showing, on one panel, Christ’s portrait in profile and, on the opposite panel, a textual description of his physical appearance known as the ‘Lentulus Letter’. Interpretations of the intended reception of the painting differ, ranging from a representation of Christ as heavenly bridegroom to historical documentation of his earthly appearance. This article makes use of the conceptual framework of the ‘situational eye’ to complicate the painting’s historical meaning and function, moving beyond a single intended reception. I argue that whatever its intended meaning, the diptych could well have functioned as an object of bridal desire. In order to make this point, a contextual analysis of the Lentulus Letter is given, followed by visual parallels that would have shaped the situational eye of the beholder. This approach results in a view of the diptych’s meaning as manifold rather than clear-cut.