In this class the stark differences between Matthias Grünewald’s Isenheim Altarpiece and other works we have seen presented a new view of how that type of art affected those who viewed it. Its practical purpose in the monastery’s healing program clearly influenced the artist to tailor the altarpiece towards the people who would view it. The three-layer composition is unlike anything we have seen so far, allowing for a gradual reveal of the splendor inside as a patient advanced in their theological treatment. The work does not focus on conveying a story but instead on conveying feelings through iconography and exaggerated expressions. St. Anthony’s fire is reflected in a grotesque depiction of the crucifixion, with Christ’s skin gangrenous and pierced. This would have drawn sufferers to the piece, with St. Anthony and St. Sebastian representing the desired salvation from the disease and Christ the connection between the human world and the release of Heaven. Grünewald’s use of unnatural expression would have pulled patients to the altarpiece in a way none we have seen so far could.