MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - PA009.jpg


Category	Painting
Origin: artist/workshop	M Wolgemut (1434-1519)
Date	15C/4
Reference No
Size
Provenance	Church of St Augustine, Nuremberg
Present Location	Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Bibliography	EM2:7 (Griesser 1961, 102-3); Paffrath 1990, 70; Posset 2003,320
	Stange 1951-61, 9:64-8; Stadlober 1986, 370; Sieveking 1986, 59; Aurenhammer 1959-67, 339
Illustration From	Paffrath 1990, 70
Other illustrations	Stange 1951-61, ill 136; Daniel-Rops 1964, 134; Posset 2003,321
	Stadlober 1986, ill 1; Sieveking 1986, ill 38; Winkler 2000, 19
Country	Germany

Description:
Although only from a side altar it was a large altarpiece with double wings, the central panel of which depicted Mary with St Augustine (but is no longer), while four saints were featured on the inner side of the inner wings: on the left Bernard (the Amplexus) and St Christopher, on the right St Luke as a painter, and the martyrdom of St Sebastian. Painted in 1487 the altarpiece was one of the most important works of the Nuremberg school from the second half of the fifteenth century before Duerer. The falling figure of Christ with his arms around Bernard who is supporting him has the feel more of a deposition scene than that of an Amplexus. It takes place in a rocky landscape with trees, a castle, a house and a lake. The arms of Clairvaux are at Bernard's feet.

Description:

Although only from a side altar it was a large altarpiece with double wings, the central panel of which depicted Mary with St Augustine (but is no longer), while four saints were featured on the inner side of the inner wings: on the left Bernard (the Amplexus) and St Christopher, on the right St Luke as a painter, and the martyrdom of St Sebastian. Painted in 1487 the altarpiece was one of the most important works of the Nuremberg school from the second half of the fifteenth century before Duerer. The falling figure of Christ with his arms around Bernard who is supporting him has the feel more of a deposition scene than that of an Amplexus. It takes place in a rocky landscape with trees, a castle, a house and a lake. The arms of Clairvaux are at Bernard's feet.