Martin Schongauer

Nicknamed ’Beautiful Martin’ by Albrecht Dürer, Martin Schongauer (Colmar, about 1445–Alt-Breisach, 1491) was a prodigious painter, draughtsman and engraver who remains relatively unknown outside of a small circle of experts and enthusiasts. He was, however, one of the most popular artists of the late Middle Ages – and one of the major figures of this period.

The exhibition brings together a hundred-some pieces to highlight Schongauer’s body of work and his legacy beyond borders and time. It presents a few of his rare drawings, a wide selection of the engravings that made him famous throughout Europe and, for the first time, a near-complete collection of the paintings (altarpieces and easel paintings) thought to be by his hand, including the exceptional 1473 Madonna of the Rose Bower, his only painting on panel whose date of creation is known.

The exhibition is structured in two major chapters, the first retracing Martin Schongauer’s life and career, and the second exploring the magnitude of the impact of his engravings on European visual culture.

A shortage of sources means that we still know relatively little about his life. The son and brother of Colmar goldsmiths, he quickly came to master delicate burin work in his engravings, demonstrating his sharp precision and clear understanding of depth and surpassing his predecessor, the Master ES. His early works are testament to his knowledge of the great painters of the Southern Netherlands, such as Rogier van der Weyden, but also of the artists of Nuremberg – where he likely stayed as part of a journey that lasted from about 1465 to 1470.

A rare few paintings by Schongauer have survived to the modern day. They reveal his sense of aesthetics, both in his human representations and in his treatment of décor and background, as well as his taste for ornamental work and naturalism. His small painted panels exemplify his time’s new, more intimate view of the relationship between the Virgin and Child, the serenity of adoration scenes and the importance of Mary’s role. The exhibition presents these smaller works, designed for private devotion, alongside Schongauer’s large-format pieces, commissioned by religious institutions – held by Colmar churches and the commandery in Isenheim, these have until today mostly remained in Alsace.

Yet his engravings, above all, represent the pinnacle of his captivating style. In these works, his immense technical skill combines with his extensive knowledge of apocryphal texts and commentaries on the lives of the saints. They reveal a well-read artist with a penchant for fine, inventive storytelling and a skilful eye for nature. His diverse choice of subjects allowed him to reach a wide customer base. He worked animal and fantastical themes, as well as decorative elements, into his religious scenes.

The second part of the exhibition shows Schongauer’s longevity through time and space. The art of Schongauer – particularly his engravings – continued to fascinate artists long after his passing. Many drawings, paintings, engravings, printed works, sculptures and objets d’art produced from the late 15th to the 17th century, from Spain to France, Bohemia and Italy, by artists both renowned and anonymous, were inspired by the creations of this illustrious printmaker – whether faithful to their source or taking various liberties. A selection has been made from an assortment of more than a thousand works to illustrate this sprawling iconographic spread that reached far beyond the bounds of the Holy Roman Empire. It is this incredible staying power that has granted Schongauer the title of ’immortal’.

Exhibition Curators : Pantxika Béguerie De Paepe, Honorary Curator of the Musée Unterlinden, and Hélène Grollemund, Collection Manager, Department of Prints and Drawings, Musée du Louvre.

With the exceptional support of the Musée Unterlinden, Colmar, and the Conseil de Fabrique of the collegiate church of Saint Martin, Colmar.

This exhibition is sponsored by the Fondation Etrillard.

Catalogue: Edited by Pantxika Béguerie De Paepe, Aude Briau and Hélène Grollemund
Co-published by: Musée du Louvre / Skira. French, 224 pages, 140 illustrations, €39.