Adoration of the Trinity (Landauer Altarpiece)

English

Adoration of the Trinity (Landauer Altarpiece): Albrecht Durer

Price: Price on Request
Art Type: Oil Painting
Size:
English Comments: 0
International Comments: 0
Creating Date:
Introduction and Works of Albrecht Durer >>

Contemporary-Art.org

Reproduction

Enlarge

Albrecht Durer Oil Painting - Adoration of the Trinity (Landauer Altarpiece)

Keywords: Adoration, Trinity, Landauer, Altarpiece

Work Overview: Adoration of the Trinity (Landauer Altarpiece)
Artist Albrecht Dürer
Year 1509-1511
Type Oil on poplar panel
Dimensions 135 cm × 123 cm (53 in × 48 in)
Location Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Adoration of the Trinity (also known as Landauer Altarpiece; German: Allerheiligenbild or Landauer Altar) is an oil-on-panel painting by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer, executed in 1511 and currently housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.

The work was commissioned by the rich merchant Matthäus Landauer of Nuremberg for a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity and All the Saints in the Zwölfbrüderhaus ("House of Twelve Brothers"), which he had founded with Erasmus Schiltkrot in 1501. The house was a charity institution which could house up to twelve artisans who were unable to sustain themselves with their work; Landauer himself lived here from 1510 until his death.[1]

The altarpiece was commissioned in 1508, but was delivered three years later, when it was placed in the church.

The altar had no movable panels, as in numerous previous similar installations, and was included in a rich frame, also designed by Dürer. There is a carved depiction of the Last Judgement at the top of the frame, and it also displays the donors' coats of arms.

The crowded altarpiece depicts the Trinity, with God the Father holding a crucifix with a still-alive Jesus. Above them, in a cloud of light surrounded by cherubims, is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. God the Father wears an imperial crown and a wide gilt cloak, lined in green and supported by angels.

The artist paints a host of male and female saints of Heaven, inspired by Augustine, who are led by John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary, respectively. Below, the human multitudes are divided between religious men and women (left, led by the pope), and laymen, led by the Holy Roman Emperor—a division similar to that already adopted by Dürer in the Feast of the Rosary (1506). At left, near a cardinal who is perhaps interceding for him, is the aged Matthäus Landauer, wearing rich garments and putting down his hat. A peasant, with one of his tools, represents the poor classes. On the right is an enigmatic queen whose face is entirely hidden by a veil, which leaves only the eyes visible.

The lower section is occupied by a large landscape with the dawn above a lake, among hills, inspired by landscapes by Albrecht Altdorfer and Joachim Patinir. There is also a self-portrait of Dürer holding a cartouche with the signature and date inscription:
ALBERTUS DURER NORICUS FACIEBAT ANNO A VIRIGINIS PARTU 1511

Dürer created his single panel altarpiece showing the Adoration of the Trinity, a celestial vision which forms an iconographical whole with the picture frame, for the wealthy merchant Matthäus Landauer. The Trinity is depicted with Christ on the Cross being supported by angels, the focal point of the heavenly gathering of saints. The crowd of martyrs on the left is led by Mary, and the group of Old Testament prophets and kings on the right by St John the Baptist. Clergymen and laypersons following the heads of the State and Church form the lowest horizontal zone in heaven. The artist depicts himself in the earthly zone in the manner of a secondary portrait. The client is the only layperson portrayed in the group of clergymen on the left, and he is being received into the heavenly community by a cardinal. Dürer prepared this detail in a portrait study.

Matthäus Landauer had gained his wealth by trading in ore, and in 1501 had founded a home for twelve old craftsmen who had fallen on hard times, to which Chapel of All Saints was attached. In addition to the portrait of the donor, there is a second one in the picture, that of his son-in-law Wilhelm Haller.

------------------------------
Adoration of the Trinity by Albrecht Dürer is a work of religious iconography painted between 1509 and 1511 A.D. It is an oil on wood panel painting meant to serve as an altarpiece painting in a chapel.

Description
The oil painting measures 53 inches by 47 inches with an arch-shaped top. In the top center is Christ crucified, with a Father God figure behind and above him. Above the Father God’s head is a white dove surrounded by light. Surrounding the Trinity figures are a host of angelic beings. To the left of Christ’s feet is the Virgin Mary and a large group of female saints holding palms. To the right are male saints, including Moses with the tablets of the Commandments. Below the saints, other women and men are shown worshiping God. All this is depicted in a rent in mid-air.

In the lower right hand corner on the earth beneath the heavenly scene, a small figure of Albrecht Dürer stands looking out at the viewer. He points to a plaque beside him inscribed with “Albrecht Dürer of the North made this in the year of the Virgin 1511.”

Technique
Panel oil painting is one of the oldest forms of fine art painting. It was highly popular until the mid-16th century, when canvas became more common. Dürer used poplar for this altarpiece, an unusual choice in a region where artists usually used oak. The painting is made with bright oil pigments, standard practice for religious art during the period.

Background and History
Custom altarpieces were highly sought after for churches and chapels. These paintings often contained portraits of the artist’s patrons and benefactors. Adoration of the Trinity was commissioned for the chapel at the “House of the 12 Brothers”, a retirement home for aged artists. Dürer’s patron, Mäthaus Landaur, appears in the painting.

As is typical of Dürer’s work, Adoration of the Trinity contains many allegorical figures. Scholars agree that the work reflects an Augustinian world view. It is now housed in a museum in Vienna.

Copyright Statement:
All the reproduction of any forms about this work unauthorized by Singing Palette including images, texts and so on will be deemed to be violating the Copyright Laws.
To cite this webpage, please link back here.

>> English Comments >> Chinese Comments >> French Comments >> German Comments >>Report

Albrecht Durer

Work Overview