Master of the Litomerice Altarpiece
Encyclopedia
The Master of the Litoměřice Altarpiece was a Bohemia
n painter active from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th. Active in the International Gothic
style, he was one of the first practitioners of Renaissance
art north of the Alps
, and had a heavy influence on the future of the Danube school
.
The Master appears to have been active in Prague
, likely part of a group of artists who worked at the court between about 1495 and 1500. He may have worked for a time in the Austria
n Lowlands and in Vienna
after 1502, and have had contact with the work of Jorg Breu
. His name comes from an altarpiece painted for Litoměřice
between 1502 and 1505. After this period he seems to have gone to Venice
, there encountering Vittore Carpaccio
and his school. In 1506 he painted a portrait of Albrecht de Kolowrat; this is the first fully Renaissance male portrait known from Bohemia. Between 1506 and 1508 he completed the decoration and painted a fresco
for the chapel of Saint Wenceslaus in St. Vitus Cathedral
in Prague, in which he was again inspired by Renaissance models. Between 1505 and 1510 he painted a triptych
for the Strahov Monastery
; before the latter year he painted an altarpiece of Saint Andrew
, a fragment of which still exists in Brno
. He also completed another altar painting, this on a commission from Jan de Wartemberk, which today is in the National Gallery
in Prague.
The Master is not believed to have worked at the Bohemian court after 1510; rather it is thought that he began to seek out a bourgeois clientele. He is known to have remained in Prague; between 1510 and 1515 he created an altarpiece for the church of Our Lady of Tyn in that city. He had a studio
at some point; with his pupils, between 1515 and 1520, he painted an Altarpiece of the Trinity
.
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n painter active from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th. Active in the International Gothic
International Gothic
International Gothic is a phase of Gothic art which developed in Burgundy, Bohemia, France and northern Italy in the late 14th century and early 15th century...
style, he was one of the first practitioners of Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
art north of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, and had a heavy influence on the future of the Danube school
Danube school
The Danube School or Donau School is the name of a circle of painters of the first third of the 16th century in Bavaria and Austria . Many also were innovative printmakers, usually in etching...
.
The Master appears to have been active in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, likely part of a group of artists who worked at the court between about 1495 and 1500. He may have worked for a time in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Lowlands and in 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...
after 1502, and have had contact with the work of Jorg Breu
Jörg Breu the Elder
Jörg Breu the Elder , of Augsburg, was a painter of the German Danube school. He was the son of a weaver.He journeyed to Austria and created several multi-panel altarpieces there in 1500–02, such as the Melk Altar . He returned to Augsburg in 1502 where he became a master. He travelled to...
. His name comes from an altarpiece painted for Litoměřice
Litomerice
Litoměřice is a town at the junction of the rivers Elbe and Ohře in the north part of the Czech Republic, approximately 64 km northwest of Prague....
between 1502 and 1505. After this period he seems to have gone to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, there encountering Vittore Carpaccio
Vittore Carpaccio
Vittore Carpaccio was an Italian painter of the Venetian school, who studied under Gentile Bellini. He is best known for a cycle of nine paintings, The Legend of Saint Ursula. His style was somewhat conservative, showing little influence from the Humanist trends that transformed Italian...
and his school. In 1506 he painted a portrait of Albrecht de Kolowrat; this is the first fully Renaissance male portrait known from Bohemia. Between 1506 and 1508 he completed the decoration and painted a fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
for the chapel of Saint Wenceslaus in St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral
Saint Vitus' Cathedral is as a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The full name of the cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral...
in Prague, in which he was again inspired by Renaissance models. Between 1505 and 1510 he painted a triptych
Triptych
A triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works...
for the Strahov Monastery
Strahov Monastery
Strahov Monastery is a Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1149 by Bishop Jindřich Zdík, Bishop John of Prague, and Prince Vladislav II. It is located in Strahov, Prague, Czech Republic.-The founding of a monastery:...
; before the latter year he painted an altarpiece of Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
, a fragment of which still exists in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
. He also completed another altar painting, this on a commission from Jan de Wartemberk, which today is in the National Gallery
National Museum (Prague)
The National museum is a Czech museum institution intended to systematically establish, prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical collections. It was founded 1818 in Prague by Kašpar Maria Šternberg...
in Prague.
The Master is not believed to have worked at the Bohemian court after 1510; rather it is thought that he began to seek out a bourgeois clientele. He is known to have remained in Prague; between 1510 and 1515 he created an altarpiece for the church of Our Lady of Tyn in that city. He had a studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
at some point; with his pupils, between 1515 and 1520, he painted an Altarpiece of the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
.