LUCAS MOSER’S ST. MAGDALENE ALTARPIECE: SOLVING THE RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX

Lucas Moser’s St. Magdalene Altarpiece: Solving the Riddle of the Sphinx Once described as a “sphinx that beckons with a thousand riddles” this dissertation presents a new understanding of some of the controversial topics surrounding Lucas Moser’s St. Magdalene Altarpiece (1432), one of the most important paintings from the late Gothic period in Germany. While interest in this altarpiece has declined in recent decades because of a lack of historical documentation, this study proposes new interpretations for many of its puzzling features by critically examining earlier research in light of more recent findings. This study contributes to the literature on the St. Magdalene Altarpiece and its artist by expanding the formal focus of earlier research to a largely contextual consideration of the work, emphasizing the importance of local and regional influences as well as broader historical factors in shaping its function, iconography and later renovation. One feature of the altarpiece considered in this study is the function of the St. Magdalene Altarpiece’s indulgence inscription. Challenging its relationship to an established Mary Magdalene cult, this identifies the St. Magdalene Altarpiece as an “indulgenced media” whose purpose was to advertise indulgence privileges held by the church at Tiefenbronn. Concerning the subject matter of the altarpiece, this dismisses the suggestion that French influence motivated the selection of Mary Magdalene, emphasizing instead her popularity in Germany and the distinctively German character of the work’s iconography. Also considered in this study are the contextual factors surrounding the sixteenth-century renovation of the St. Magdalene Altarpiece. Motivated by a larger program of redecoration in the church at Tiefenbronn this demonstrates that x the heirs of the altarpiece renovated it to stay abreast of new stylistic trends. Reflecting the growing taste for large scale altarpieces, the shrine was enlarged and its former contents replaced with a larger sculpture. Turning to the artist, rather than emphasizing foreign influences on Moser’s style this study offers new evidence for his stylistic ties to the art of his native southwest Germany. Also relevant for understanding the artist, another topic addressed is Moser’s inscription. Rather than viewing his so-called lament as an acknowledgment of his artistic weakness, how it reflects his artistic ability and intellectual aspirations is considered

German, Rhenish Artist

Images of saints adorned a wide range of objects in the late medieval period, including stained glass windows, church architecture, altarpieces, and ecclesiastical vestments. For the viewer, these saints served as role models, intercessors, and protectors. A depiction of one of the most significant saints in Christendom, Saint Catherine of Alexandria emphasizes her role as spiritual authority and preacher. Especially popular in the Rhine region of Germany, polychromed wood was an ideal medium for sculpture, and here it lends Saint Catherine a lifelike presence

Northern European Artist

A widely circulated image in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Northern Europe records a vision that occurred during a Mass performed by Pope Gregory the Great. According to one version of the legend, Christ appeared on the altar in response to a spectator who doubted his true presence in the Eucharist. In the Mass of Saint Gregory, Christ is portrayed as the Man of Sorrows. He is alive but bears the wounds of the Crucifixion, with blood streaming from his side into a chalice on the altar. Gregory kneels before it, a Crucifixion-imprinted Eucharistic wafer in his hands. He is accompanied by an entourage of assistants and church leaders. Dressed in copes similar to those of Saint Gregory, a deacon and subdeacon assist in the celebration of the Mass. At the end of the altar, two blond altar boys hold candles. The cardinal at lower left wears a red robe, his hat hanging down his back. Directly behind Gregory, a man in a red fur-lined robe holds his papal tiara, while to his right a bishop holds his crosier

Follower of Jan Gossaert, Flemish, C. 1478-1532

Madonna and Child with Saints Catherine and Agnes exhibits many features of the sixteenthcentury Netherlandish artist Jan Gossaert’s distinctive style, though it was more likely executed by a follower. The minutely rendered details of the garments and architecture follow the conventions of fifteenth-century Northern European painting, which Gossaert and the artist of this triptych adopted. In placing the figures in elaborate architectural frameworks, the artist laid claim to a distinctive Gossaert trademark. It is also evident that the painter was familiar with specific examples of Gossaert’s work. The extravagant throne behind the Virgin and Child, with its gilded linear ornament and dangling pendants, replicates the architecture in the panel of Saint Peter from Gossaert’s so-called Salamanca Triptych. The background of Gossaert’s Saint Luke Portraying the Virgin (c. 1520; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna) provided the model for the barrel-vaulted spaces of Saints Catherine and Agnes in the wings

Peter Wtewael, Dutch, 1596-1660

Painted in Utrecht in the 1620s, The Repentant Magdalene is a testament to the biblical figure’s enduring appeal and to the city’s Catholic sympathies. Of the Dutch provinces, Utrecht retained strong ties to the Catholic Church. Although Catholic worship was prohibited, several clandestine churches were located in the city. Too small to be an altarpiece, this work was likely intended for private devotion

How to Read Medieval Art. Wendy A. Stein

Medieval art often remains inaccessible to viewers because of the complexity of its subject matter. Given the importance of storytelling in medieval art and its biblical subjects, a great deal is missed when the viewer is not familiar with its imagery. Wendy A. Stein’s book attempts to increase the viewer’s understanding of medieval art through detailed descriptions of each scene and an explanation of their theological significance. This objective is achieved not only through the text but in the abundance of photographs of each object. These photographs are especially appreciated, since some of the objects are quite small and composed of multiple scenes. In almost all cases, individual photographs for each episode of an object accompany the description