Saint Elizabeth was born in 1207, the daughter of Andreas II, King of Hungary; her crown alludes to her royal birth. Many legends about her generosity and work on behalf of the poor were circulated in the Middle Ages, among them the subject of this sculpture: food she was carrying to the poor was mi
This panel once formed the left wing of an altarpiece originally located in a Cistercian convent in the German town of Fröndenberg. The Coronation of the Virgin was a common subject; though it is not based on a biblical text it often appeared in medieval books of hours as a focus of contemplation. I
Once used as decorations for a reliquary shrine, each enamel plaque represents a biblical prophet: Isaiah, Obadiah, Elisha, and Hosea. Fine gold dots punctuate dark blue backgrounds. Typical of Hildesheim enamels, this detailing creates the illusion that the prophets sit against star-studded twiligh
Once used as decorations for a reliquary shrine, each enamel plaque represents a biblical prophet: Isaiah, Obadiah, Elisha, and Hosea. Fine gold dots punctuate dark blue backgrounds. Typical of Hildesheim enamels, this detailing creates the illusion that the prophets sit against star-studded twiligh
This precious reliquary, adorned on its front and sides with colored glass, precious stones, and two medallions featuring the enthroned Virgin and Child and an eagle, forms part of a group of closely related objects manufactured in the Upper Rhine region shortly after 1300. The purse shape, with its
The figure shows the sleeping Jesse, the father of David from the Old Testament. As the ancestor of the family tree of Christ, he was depicted in the Middle Ages sleeping as the starting point of the tree, on whose branches the ancestors of Christ are depicted. Mary with the Christ child is always s
Designed to facilitate the display and veneration of ten relics, this sumptuous ostensorium (from the Latin ostendere, meaning "to show") is one of the most unusual reliquaries in the Guelph Treasure. Elements of contemporary Gothic architecture in miniature frame an elaborately decorated liturgical
The striking impression of this figure is the vivid representation of suffering. The sculpture captures the moment after Christ’s death: the drooping head on a frail neck is a mask of agony. The eyes are nearly shut, the mouth is ajar, and the forehead crowned by heavy, gouging thorns is drawn with
Inscribed on the base are the words ECCE AGNUS DEI (Behold the Lamb of God). Multscher was a prominent and successful sculptor from the Bavaria region who operated a large and prolific workshop with as many as 16 assistants. He worked in many materials and his work reflects a deep knowledge of Flemi
Saint Gregory was a late 6th-century pope and one of the fathers of the early Roman Church. This painting depicts the popular legend in which Gregory once overheard an onlooker express doubts about Christ's actual presence at the altar during mass. In response, the saint's immense faith was rewarded
This small picture illustrates the biblical passage in which a woman accused of adultery-an offense punishable by death in Mosaic law-is brought before Christ. He responds to her accusers with the words written across the top of the painting: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a s
This panel shows the Resurrection of Christ, who stands triumphant above his tomb bearing a banner of victory while the soldiers guarding it sleep on, one of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. It is part of the inner right wing of the Wurzach Altarpiece, painted in 1437 by the German sculptor and
This painting depicts the twelve-year-old Jesus found teaching among the doctors in the Temple at Jerusalem, an episode from the Gospel of Luke and one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. It hangs in the Unionskirche in Idstein, Germany, and is attributed to the German draftsman and printmaker Jo
Tilman Riemenschneider, one of the most important German sculptors of the late Middle Ages, created a highly original version of the Annunciation in this carved figure. The angel Gabriel, whose drapery billows out as he flies down, is dynamic and full of vitality, contrasting with the Virgin's subdu
This 1932 illustration shows Christ rising from the tomb. It is by the German painter Gebhard Fugel, who specialized in Christian subjects and was the leading artist of the large Crucifixion Panorama created for the pilgrimage site of Altotting.
This painting depicts Jesus at the Sea of Galilee, a setting for several Gospel episodes including the calling of the disciples and the calming of the storm. It is by the German painter Carl Oesterley, who became court painter to the Kingdom of Hanover in 1844 and produced numerous altarpieces for G
This painting, made in 1890 by the German painter Hans Thoma, depicts the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. Thoma trained at the Karlsruhe Academy and drew inspiration from early German masters such as Albrecht Altdorfer and Lucas Cranach the Elder.
This panel, painted around 1400 by the German painter known as the Master of the Berswordt Altar, depicts Christ on the cross flanked by mourning figures, including the Virgin Mary and Saint John. It is painted in oil and gold on wood.
This gilded copper-alloy figure of the Apostle Philip, made in North Germany around 1350, was designed to be applied as a decorative element, likely on a shrine or piece of liturgical furniture. It measures about 12 9/16 x 3 7/16 inches and is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
These panels were among thirty scenes of an extensive narrative cycle that formed part of a large altarpiece from the Neustädter Marienkirche in Bielefeld, Westphalia. They were created two decades before panel painting underwent a revolution through the art of Jan van Eyck, Robert Campin, and Rogie
This scene of the Last Supper clearly shows each disciple, including Judas, who is seen at the lower right clutching his bag of money, a reference to his future betrayal.
Stained glass panel of colorless glass with vitreous paint and silver stain, made in Cologne, Germany. It measures 37.8 x 17.3 cm (14 7/8 x 6 13/16 in.).
Stained glass panel of colorless glass with vitreous paint and silver stain, made in Cologne, Germany. It measures 39.1 x 34.6 cm (15 3/8 x 13 5/8 in.).
In this scene (Luke 19: 1-10), Jesus Christ passes through Jericho and notices a wealthy, but diminutive, devotee who has climbed a sycamore tree (drawn here with recognizable seed pods) in order to see him better.
