In this artwork, how is the Mourners of the Iconography elucidated?
A number of saints and angels are openly weeping, imbuing the Passion with very human qualities, and expressive of emotional turmoil. Probably the employment of tears is reflective of Geertgen's tendency towards emotionalism, but may also have been to intended to invoke contrition, forcing the viewer to view Christ's sufferings individual terms, and reflect on their own culpability. Church theology of the time encouraged compassion for Christ's suffering, while emphasising that mankind was the source of his torments. According to art historian John Decker, medieval "sermons and devotional tracts encouraged the faithful to study the broken body of Christ, to tally his wounds, and to bear always in mind that humankind's various sins caused each injury."  The scene allowed viewers "opportunities to interact empathetically with sacred history"; and encouraged contrition and penitence, an approach reflected in works by Rogier van der Weyden, later adopted by Geertgen.
The use of tears to denote grief was probably derived from Rogier, who fascinated by tears, refined a subtle formula for the depiction of crying, as can be seen especially his Madrid Descent from the Cross of c. 1435. Mary has a large tear pouring down her cheek, which art historian Moshe Barasch describes as "painted with subtle shadows to give it material substance, with reflections and a highlight to make it transparent and shiny", and compares its rendering to that of jewelry or glass.In some instances the tears are implied by a hand gesture rather than actually shown. This is again influenced by Rogier's Descent, but originates from Campin's Entombment, where a figure is implied to be crying by the fact that he wipes his face with the back of his hand, a technique Rogier borrowed and perfected some 20 years later.
contrition Passion Rogier van der Weyden culpability Descent from the Cross wound Entombment penitence