Rainer Kahsnitz Books

A full account of the origins and development of 22 of the most outstanding carved altarpieces from churches in Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Monumental carved, winged altarpieces are the most ambitious artworks from the Middle Ages, incorporating the skills of painters, sculptors, and cabinetmakers. Those that are most notable for their artistic originality and masterly execution were produced in the southern German-speaking regions, including Austria and South Tirol, in the last decades of the Late Gothic period (roughly 1460 to 1525). By that time altarpieces had evolved from low, fixed panels to large wooden structures with rich architectural ornamentation. Paintings of the saints often adorned the movable wings, while carved reliefs or freestanding sculptures of scenes from the Gospels occupied the gilded, center shrine. Rainer Kahsnitz offers a close examination of twenty-two of the most important surviving altarpieces, discussing the historical context in which they were made and analyzing how their pictorial programs reflect changing notions of piety. The sumptuous color illustrations capture the altarpieces in all their possible arrangements. The stunning details of these pieces--riotous locks of hair, swirling fabric, and thickets of twisted vines--vividly demonstrate the consummate skill of the master artisans who created them.

Hrsg. Kahsnitz, Rainer ; Mende, Ursula ; Rücker, Elisabeth Katalog zur Ausstellung im Germanischen Nationalmuseum Nürnberg;Bibliothek vom 10. Juli bis 29. August 1982. 40 Farbtaf., zahlr. Abb. 203 S.

The book features a collection of scholarly articles exploring various aspects of German sculpture and art from the 15th century onwards. It begins with an introduction and a congratulatory section, followed by in-depth studies on topics such as the "Italianization" of German Vesper images and the contributions of notable sculptors like Hanns Sweicker and Jakob Kaschauer. The text discusses the Freising high altar and the influence of Multscher in the Neckar region. Additionally, it addresses attributions to Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden and examines the Münnerstadt altar by Tilman Riemenschneider. Other contributions include insights into Martin Lebzelter's work in Basel and the sculptor Enciras Maurus in Kempten. The volume also delves into the fate of the Wettenhausen high altar and features a piece by Melchiorre Caffà in wood. Further discussions include the tomb of Johann Schlüter and significant works by Christoph Daniel Schenck housed in the Getty Museum. The book concludes with notes on Paul Egel's Mannheim high altar and the figurative adornments of Johann Georg Nessfeld's planetary machine, along with a bibliography and an index for reference.