In his depiction of the historic image of the Crucifixion on the central panel of Palencia Cathedral’s main altarpiece, Juan de Flandes chose the iconographic type that Réau calls de grand spectacle, which was appropriate for the panel’s large dimensions and horizontal format, and undoubtedly the one preferred by the painter’s client. Here, he reduced that type to its essential elements, a customary approach for this Flemish painter, and one that is even more accentuated in this work from late in his career, where the large size of the figures requires including less of them in the composition.

This Crucifixion’s original location was the central row of the main altarpiece at the cathedral. Documents indicate that Palencia Cathedral’s current main altarpiece, which bears carvings and paintings, was commissioned by Bishop Diego de Deza (1443-1524) for what was then the main chapel and is now the Tabernacle chapel. At that time, it was not supposed to have any paintings, but instead, carvings by sculptor Felipe Bigarny (doc. 1498-1524) and architectural elements by Pedro de Guadalupe.