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DOI Artikel:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz: A Gothic relief with the Adoration of the Magi: a discovered model of some Gothic copies
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18862#0079
Tadeusz Dobrzeniecki
A GOTHIC RELIEF WITH THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI
A DISCOVERED MODEL OF SOME GOTHIC COPIES
In his publication on the Late Mediaeval Sculpture in Upper Rhineland Otto Schmitt has
mentioned sevcral works bascd on engravings by Master E.S.1. An even ampler influence of this
artist is visible in the Alsatian reliefs in terracotta, stucco and papier mache (cartapesta). Among
the cxamples of this kind of artistic production pointed by Schmitt, a special attention is aroused
by the following works reptescnting:
1. the Nałiviły, e.g. the relief in the J. Bćihler Collection in Munich close to the three engravings
of Master E.S. (L. 120. 136, 196)2,
the relief in the private collection in Frankfort3,
the relief in the Schniitgen Collection in Cologne,
the relief in the Gerraanisches Museum in Nuremberg4,
2. the Adoration of the Magi — the stucco relief, sińce 1913 in the Berlin Museum. (fig. 2)
In the catalogue of sculpture of the Berlin Museum, published in 1930 by Theodor Demmler,
the relief with the Adoration of the Magi was described as belonging to the. Alsatian (Colmar) School
(end of the XVth century). Demmler suggested that both this and the identical relief in the
Bohler Collection, repeat a lost, probably wooden model5. At that time Demmler did not know the
book written by Hubert Wilm6 on the Gothic ceramic sculpture, published in 1929. Although
this scholar pays most attention to the works executed in terracotta (Tonplastik) he also considers
other kinds of ceramic tcchnique, among them stucco. He lists the most important Romanesąue
and Gothic examples of stucco reliefs — including the Berlin relief with the Adoration of the Magi.
Wilm dated it about 1480 and located in South Germany; he names numerous copies of this com-
position and surmises that their number may be extended. Wilm gave, however, only one exemple:
a relief with the Adoration of the Magi in the private collection in Cologne. It is distinguished by
its beautiful polychromy. This relief corresponds in all details to the Berlin original7. Both of
them, undoubtedly, go back to a common model.
1. O. Schmitt. Oberrheinische Plastik im ausgehenden Mittelalter, Frciburg i.Br., 1924, p. 26.
2. Schmitt, op. cii., p. 26, plate 29a : a stucco relief, with the old polychromy (31,5 X 25,5 cm), Alsace, cud of the XVth cen-
tury ; a similar relief kept in Fiirstl. Hohenzollernschcs Museum, Sigmaringen — it is considered to come from Messkirch.
3. O. Schmitt, G. Swarzenski, Meistenoerke der Bildhauerkunsi in Frankfurter Privatbesitz, Bd. I, Frankfurt, 1921, No 94.
4. The sculptural model of these three reliefs mentioned by Schmitt follows the engravings by Master E. S.
5. Th. Demmler, Die Bildwcrkc in Holz, Stein.und Ton, Dritter Band, Berlin u. Lcipzig, 1930, p. 110, No 7051 (Die Bildwcrkc
des Deutschen Museums).
6. H. Wilm, Gotische Tonplastik in Deutschland, Augsburg, 1929, p. 39—43 : Der Tonbildnerei verwandten Arten der Technik.
1. Gips, 2. Stuck, 3. Steinguss, 4. Gussstein oder Kunststein.
7. Wilm, op. cit., fig. 10.
69
A GOTHIC RELIEF WITH THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI
A DISCOVERED MODEL OF SOME GOTHIC COPIES
In his publication on the Late Mediaeval Sculpture in Upper Rhineland Otto Schmitt has
mentioned sevcral works bascd on engravings by Master E.S.1. An even ampler influence of this
artist is visible in the Alsatian reliefs in terracotta, stucco and papier mache (cartapesta). Among
the cxamples of this kind of artistic production pointed by Schmitt, a special attention is aroused
by the following works reptescnting:
1. the Nałiviły, e.g. the relief in the J. Bćihler Collection in Munich close to the three engravings
of Master E.S. (L. 120. 136, 196)2,
the relief in the private collection in Frankfort3,
the relief in the Schniitgen Collection in Cologne,
the relief in the Gerraanisches Museum in Nuremberg4,
2. the Adoration of the Magi — the stucco relief, sińce 1913 in the Berlin Museum. (fig. 2)
In the catalogue of sculpture of the Berlin Museum, published in 1930 by Theodor Demmler,
the relief with the Adoration of the Magi was described as belonging to the. Alsatian (Colmar) School
(end of the XVth century). Demmler suggested that both this and the identical relief in the
Bohler Collection, repeat a lost, probably wooden model5. At that time Demmler did not know the
book written by Hubert Wilm6 on the Gothic ceramic sculpture, published in 1929. Although
this scholar pays most attention to the works executed in terracotta (Tonplastik) he also considers
other kinds of ceramic tcchnique, among them stucco. He lists the most important Romanesąue
and Gothic examples of stucco reliefs — including the Berlin relief with the Adoration of the Magi.
Wilm dated it about 1480 and located in South Germany; he names numerous copies of this com-
position and surmises that their number may be extended. Wilm gave, however, only one exemple:
a relief with the Adoration of the Magi in the private collection in Cologne. It is distinguished by
its beautiful polychromy. This relief corresponds in all details to the Berlin original7. Both of
them, undoubtedly, go back to a common model.
1. O. Schmitt. Oberrheinische Plastik im ausgehenden Mittelalter, Frciburg i.Br., 1924, p. 26.
2. Schmitt, op. cii., p. 26, plate 29a : a stucco relief, with the old polychromy (31,5 X 25,5 cm), Alsace, cud of the XVth cen-
tury ; a similar relief kept in Fiirstl. Hohenzollernschcs Museum, Sigmaringen — it is considered to come from Messkirch.
3. O. Schmitt, G. Swarzenski, Meistenoerke der Bildhauerkunsi in Frankfurter Privatbesitz, Bd. I, Frankfurt, 1921, No 94.
4. The sculptural model of these three reliefs mentioned by Schmitt follows the engravings by Master E. S.
5. Th. Demmler, Die Bildwcrkc in Holz, Stein.und Ton, Dritter Band, Berlin u. Lcipzig, 1930, p. 110, No 7051 (Die Bildwcrkc
des Deutschen Museums).
6. H. Wilm, Gotische Tonplastik in Deutschland, Augsburg, 1929, p. 39—43 : Der Tonbildnerei verwandten Arten der Technik.
1. Gips, 2. Stuck, 3. Steinguss, 4. Gussstein oder Kunststein.
7. Wilm, op. cit., fig. 10.
69