A predella or step of an altarpiece consisting of five panels framed by Gothic tracery and separated by pilasters with ogee arches and thistles supporting the tracery decorating the architrave in the upper section.

The central panel represents a Christ of Pity (Imago pietatis), an iconography based on one of the two versions of the Suffering Christ most popular in the Late Middle Ages: the Christ of Pity that was part of the Mass of St Gregory, and the Christ of the Five Wounds.

As is customary in this iconography, Christ is seen with his hands crossed, showing the wound in his side, in his tomb (Christum in sepulcro) and surrounded by the attributes of the Passion.

The representation of the Christ of the Mass of St Gregory has a sacramental meaning (the identification of the bread and wine in the Eucharist with Christ’s body and blood). The image was probably derived from a Byzantine icon offered by St Gregory the Great (Pope Gregory I from 590 to 604) to the Roman Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, attributed with a miracle when St Gregory was saying mass. It is a variation of the Ecce Homo, but in this case differentiated by the wounds in Christ’s side and hands inflicted during the crucifixion. The subject matter grew in popularity in the Western World from the 13^th century, reaching its peak after the 1350 Jubilee, when the returning pilgrims who saw the icon in the above-mentioned basilica spread its devotion throughout Europe. Christ is depicted with a cleft chin in consonance with Flemish models.

This panel contains a number of iconographic elements identifying Christ’s Passion: the sword used by Simon Peter to cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest Caiaphas (St John’s Gospel); the nails (arma Christi); the sponge dipped in vinegar offered to Christ to satiate his thirst; and the dice used by the soldier to gamble for his clothes; the spear used by Longinus to wound him; and the purse with the coins. We also see the higa or clenched hand, perhaps in allusion to the ridiculing of Christ, which is a recurring element in some boards depicting the Mass of St Gregory (for example, Santa Clara Convent in Palencia, currently at Museo Arqueológico Nacional). In turn, the trumpet could allude to the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus to Heaven. The presence of that iconography connected to the figure of Christ would lead us to infer that the predella was probably part of an altarpiece dedicated to St Gregory.

Left to right, St Anthony the Great, the Virgin Mary, St John and St Blaise, all of them with their iconographic attributes. The figures of Mary—wearing her traditional blue cape—and St John are turned towards Christ, in a composition that recalls the traditional representation of Calvary. In turn, St Anthony the Great is seen with his customary iconography, as a bearded old man, wearing the hooded sackcloth common to the monks from his order, and displaying some of his attributes: the Tau cross, the bell to chase away the demons, and the book of the rule of the Anthonites. St Blaise wears a mitre, the papal embroidered gloves and his usual attribute: the carding comb he was martyred with. The wealth of his attire and the patriarchal cross crowning his staff are allusions to his Eastern origin.

Their heads are surrounded by a golden halo consisting of two concentric rings in relief. This type of halo is similar to the one used by Miguel Jiménez, a Castilian painter born in Pareja (Guadalajara), but settled in Aragon, whose presence in Zaragoza has been documented from 1462 to 1505.

The artist lent great importance to the decorative elements. The figures stand out against a rich stone baluster sculpted with geometric motifs and a landscape in the background that helps to place them and to intensify the feeling of depth. The figures were painted following an elongated canon, and the modelling of the clothes helps to intensify the sense of volume. Not only the Virgin Mary, but also St John and St Blaise wear ample clothing with voluminous folds, something particularly noticeable in the case of the two saints, whose clothes are made with rich fabrics and elaborate embroidery. The naturalism of the faces, the study of the anatomy and the pursuit of perspective situate this piece within the Late Gothic style.