Epitaph-altarpiece of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous in the Weimar parish church St. Peter and Paul [left wing]

The inner side of the wing panel depicts Elector Johann Friedrich I. of Saxony on the left and his wife Sibylle of Cleve on the right with their sons Johann Friedrich the Middle (der Mittlere), Johann Wilhelm and Johann Friedrich the Younger who commissioned the altarpiece. All five figures are depicted kneeling on prayer stools wearing the same sumptuous black clothing with gold decoration and fur lining. The mother also wears a fur trimmed bonnet and a book lies open on the lectern in front of her. The other family members have put their black feathered head attire on their prayer stools. Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Johann Friedrich the Middle and Johann Friedrich the Younger look out of the painting, whereas Sibylle of Cleve and Johann Wilhelm look towards the central panel. The black throws covering the prayer stools are decorated with a gold-black border with different motifs. On the left flap there is the coat-of-arms of the Houses of Saxony and Cleve and on the right flaps these are combined to create the coat-of-arms of the sons. The coats-of-arms are depicted three-dimensionally and arranged parallel to the picture plane, whereas the prayer stool is positioned at an angle giving the impression that the coats-of-arms are not part of the pictorial reality. A floor with beige and red marble tiles extends across both wings. Similarly a gold-black brocade curtain hangs across the background of both wings. It is decorated horizontally with two alternating motifs showing variants of a vase with flowers between an organic braid band. The curtain consists of two layers: on the left wing the front layer hangs over a rope stretched horizontally across the panel so that the letters 'VDMIÆ' on the border of the curtain are visible above the heads of the royal couple and on the right wing it is simply folded to the side.

When the altarpiece is closed the left wing shows the Baptism of Christ by St John. Jesus stands knee deep in the river Jordan, the ends of his loincloth float in the water, his arms are folded in front of his chest and he looks out of the painting. St John kneels behind him on the banks of the river with his left hand on Jesus' shoulder and with his right hand he pours the baptism water over his head. St John wears a fur robe in a reddish brown tone, and he is fully concentrated on the baptismal act. God the Father appears in the upper third of the painting surrounded by a cloud with winged angel heads and with a sign from a finger of his right hand he sends out the Holy Spirit as a dove. The dove floats down to earth with outspread wings in a similar aureole. The landscape is characterized by rich flora and is animated by a herd of deer in the background. The sun baths the rocky outcrop on the horizon in yellow light and at the same time illuminates the heads of St John and Jesus from behind.

The exterior of the right wing shows Christ in the familiar aureole ascending to heaven. There is a star-shaped nimbus around his head, he wears the red cloak and holds the victory banner, which this time only has a transparent shaft. His feet hover just above a grassy hill, where their marks are still visible. The event is encircled by a group of 26 tightly crowded figures, some only partially indicated with heads. Two of them are in the foreground with their backs facing towards us. They all appear to have fallen on their knees and look full of amazement and awe. The only exception is a young man with a short moustache, who looks at the viewer.

[Görres 2006, 10-11]