About the Image:
These panels once belonged to an impressive high altarpiece which stood in the Dominican Church of Frankfurt into the 17th century. Together with other paintings, these works decorated the double folding wings of an altarpiece structured around the shrine, with sculptures in the center. Unfortunately the shrine has not survived. The four panels painted in a rather restrained palate trace the genealogy of the Dominican order on one side, and on the other show the tree of Jesse portraying the claimed ancestry of Jesus. These scenes decorated the outer panels which were visible when the altar was closed during the week. When the altar was open on Sundays, the panels showing the passion of Christ were displayed. The altar though was only completely opened on high church holidays allowing the congregation to view the sculptures which today are missing. These panels are the work of the Augsburg painter Hans Holbein the Elder. source
About the Artist:
Hans Holbein was skilled in various forms of art such as painting, drawing, stained-glass painting, copperplate engraving, wood engraving, and commercial art. He was born around 1460-1470 in Augsburg and passed away in 1524 in Isenheim. He was associated with the Renaissance and Late Gothic schools of art.
