Adoration of the Trinity
Encyclopedia
Adoration of the Trinity (also known as Landauer Altarpiece; German: Allerheiligenbild or Landauer Altar) is a oil-on-panel
painting by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer
, executed in 1511 and currently housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
, Vienna
, Austria.
, for a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity and All the Saints in the Zwölfbrüderhaus ("House of Twelve Brothers"), which had been founded by him and Erasmus Schiltkrot. This was a charity institution which could house up to twelve artisans who were no more able to sustain themselves with their work; Landauer himself lived here from 1510 until his death.
The altarpiece was commissioned in 1508, but was delivered only three years later, when it was placed in the church.
The crowded altarpiece shows, in the upper part, a depiction of the Holy Trinity, with the Father God holding a crucifix with a still alive Jesus. Above them, in a cloud of light surrounded by cherubims, is the Dove of the Holy Ghost. God wears the imperial crown and a wide gilt cloak, lined in green and supported by angels.
Around, inspired by Augustine's theories, the artist painted a host of male and female saints of Heaven, led, respectively, by St. John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary. Below, the human moltitudes are divided between religious men and women (left, led by the pope), and lay men, led by the Holy Roman Emperor
, with a division similar to that already adopted by Dürer in the Feast of the Rosary
(1506). At the left, near a cardinal who is perhaps interceding for him, is the aged Matthäus Landauer, wearing rich garments and putting down his hat. A peasant, with one of his work instruments, represents the poor classes. On the right is an enigmatic queen whose face is entirely hidden by a veil, which leaves only the eyes barely visible.
The lower sector is occupied by a large landscape with the dawn above a lake, among hills, inspired by landscapes by Albrecht Altdorfer
and Joachim Patinir
. There is also a self-portrait of Dürer holding a cartouche with the signature and date inscription, saying:
Panel painting
A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel made of wood, either a single piece, or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, it was the normal form of support for a painting not on a wall or vellum, which was used for...
painting by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since...
, executed in 1511 and currently housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is an art museum in Vienna, Austria. Housed in its festive palatial building on Ringstraße, it is crowned with an octagonal dome...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria.
History
The work was commissioned by the rich merchant Matthäus Landauer of NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, for a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity and All the Saints in the Zwölfbrüderhaus ("House of Twelve Brothers"), which had been founded by him and Erasmus Schiltkrot. This was a charity institution which could house up to twelve artisans who were no more able to sustain themselves with their work; Landauer himself lived here from 1510 until his death.
The altarpiece was commissioned in 1508, but was delivered only three years later, when it was placed in the church.
Description
The altar had no movable panels, as in numerous previous similar installations, and was included into a rich frame (also designed by Dürer): this has, in the upper part, a carved depiction of the Last Judgement, as well as the donors' coats of arms.The crowded altarpiece shows, in the upper part, a depiction of the Holy Trinity, with the Father God holding a crucifix with a still alive Jesus. Above them, in a cloud of light surrounded by cherubims, is the Dove of the Holy Ghost. God wears the imperial crown and a wide gilt cloak, lined in green and supported by angels.
Around, inspired by Augustine's theories, the artist painted a host of male and female saints of Heaven, led, respectively, by St. John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary. Below, the human moltitudes are divided between religious men and women (left, led by the pope), and lay men, led by the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
, with a division similar to that already adopted by Dürer in the Feast of the Rosary
Feast of the Rosary
The Feast of the Rosary is a 1506 oil painting by Albrecht Dürer, now in the National Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic.-History:...
(1506). At the left, near a cardinal who is perhaps interceding for him, is the aged Matthäus Landauer, wearing rich garments and putting down his hat. A peasant, with one of his work instruments, represents the poor classes. On the right is an enigmatic queen whose face is entirely hidden by a veil, which leaves only the eyes barely visible.
The lower sector is occupied by a large landscape with the dawn above a lake, among hills, inspired by landscapes by Albrecht Altdorfer
Albrecht Altdorfer
Albrecht Altdorfer was a German painter, printmaker and architect of the Renaissance era.-Biography:Altdorfer was born in Regensburg or Altdorf around 1480....
and Joachim Patinir
Joachim Patinir
Joachim Patinir, also called de Patiner , was a Flemish Northern Renaissance history and landscape painter from the area of modern Wallonia...
. There is also a self-portrait of Dürer holding a cartouche with the signature and date inscription, saying: