The article describes works by Wit Stwosz, including the altarpiece of the Virgin Mary in Bamberg, and - above all - Nuremberg works, including the sculpture in the church of St. Sebald, which is described in detail . In addition, sculptures in other chapels in Nuremberg are mentioned. (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1863, T:7, pp. 245-6., after: Digital Library of the University of Lodz)

A modernised reading of the text.

Works

by Wit Stwosz

marked with monograms

Until the end of the fifteenth century, artists rarely put their names next to their works, either out of artistic modesty or religious humility. Particularly with works intended for churches, only certain accepted signs, or monograms, were placed, and for this reason many names of formerly excellent artists disappeared altogether, and those known only by signs were called organists.

One of these artists is the famous Wit Stwosz, born in Krakow 1147, died in Nuremberg 1533, known for his numerous works in Poland, Hungary, Germany and even Portugal. Some of his works are proved by contemporary documents, while others have been admitted or denied by experts themselves. Some of his most authentic works, such as the famous Marian altar in Cracow and the rose wreath with the Annunciation at St. Lawrence in Nuremberg, are not marked or signed; others bear his monograms. For the sake of rarity, I am therefore going to list here his monogrammed works known to me.

The most accurate monogram with the master's signature can be found on the well-known tomb of King Casimir Jagiellon in Krakow, carved from red porphyry.

This work is also superb in terms of the composition and artistic finish. Another work with a similar mark and the date 1482, without the artist's name, was recently discovered by the excellent antiquities researcher Mr Józef Łepkowski. It is a monument to Zbigniew Oleśnicki in Gniezno. Of the later works by Wit Stwosz made in Germany, the Gothic cabinet altar with wings in the church of the Virgin Mary in Bamberg, where life-size figures made of wood without painting are placed, stands out. In the central sculpture, tall feet 11, inches 9, and wide feet 9, inches 11, is depicted the adoration of the shepherds, while on the door of the altar: Flight into Egypt, Adoration of the Three Kings, Birth and Presentation in the Temple. The keystone bears the year 1523 and a monogram.

The most numerous works by Wit Stwosz are in Nuremberg, and I was surprised that neither an inscription nor a mark could be found on any of them. Looking at the sculpture in the choir of the St. Sebald's church, I thought I recognised the work of our artist, even though I was assured that the work had long been considered a masterpiece by Adam Kraft (b. 1429, d. 1507), according to the testimony of his contemporary, Jan Neudorfer. However, I found that I was not mistaken, as I even found Stwosz's monogram, hitherto unknown in Nuremberg. I placed this news in the organ of the archaeological museum in Nuremberg, which my discovery, upon closer examination, was confirmed by the learned researchers Baron Aufses, director of the museum, Dr Ernest Forster and Dr A. Eue. This bas-relief of carving, 15 feet 12 inches wide and 5 feet 6 inches high, in three divisions forming a single unit, depicts the Lord's supper, the olive garden and the kiss of Judas. We include the latter carving in the accompanying woodcut. In it, the figure of an armed knight in Eastern garb appears quite prominently in front. On the scabbard of his rifle is a fantastic inscription, seemingly Eastern, at the end of which is the monogram placed here. On the two corners of the carvings are small kneeling figures, depicting the founder of this work with his sons, wife and daughters and the family coat of arms.

The sculpture is set in beneath a large window painted in 1515 for the Margraves of Brandenburg by Veit Hirschvogel the Elder, with figures of the Margraves, including Sophie, daughter of Casimir the Jagiellonian, who died in 1513, wife of Friedrich of Brandenburg. A contemporary of Neudorfer describes the exact location of this window and also mentions the Lord's Supper of A. Kraft's Lord's Supper in this church, but in a different place, so probably not the above three sculptures combined together, and for these reasons they may have been erroneously attributed to Kraft. The same Neudorfer mentions that Wit Stwosz from Krakow, who came to Nuremberg in the year 1500, was a sculptor, a stencil-maker, and a painter. 1500, was a sculptor, engraver and painter. His brushwork is not known to us; the engravings bear monograms, some dated 1492, at the time of his stay in Krakow. I cite them for rarity.

1. Gothic capitals decorated with foliage, small engraving.

2. full-length Virgin, with a headdress, or crown on her head, holding a lighted candlestick, medium-sized engraving.

3. Virgin Mary with child in full figure, holding apple in right hand - medium size.

4. Virgin seated under canopy in window, small size engraving.

5. Beheading of kneeling St Catherine, the executioner standing behind her, a rock in the shape of an idol and a mill wheel behind her, small engraving.

6. Beheading of kneeling old martyr, blindfolded, who has his back bare, small staff.

7. Adulteress kneeling before Christ, larger composition, of ten figures composed.

8. Mary kissing the corpse of Christ, behind her St John with crown of thorns.

9.Mary in a vaulted chamber sewing a dress for a child at her feet; in a window, St Joseph drills a board, larger engraving.

10.Resurrection of Lazarus, piece of 14 figures, in front a kneeling woman, a gravedigger and a knight, whose posture and armour completely resemble that of the armed knight in the sculpture above.

Ten of these rare engravings are in a costly collection of engravings in Munich, and the last three are also in the Dresden collection.

To conclude the description of some of Stwosz's works, I must mention that a portrait of him, carved and coloured from wood, is in the chapel of St John's cemetery in Nuremberg, next to a representation of the Resurrection of Christ; and a figure in one of the brackets under the organ risings in the church of St Lawrence there, by the side of the organ. The figure in one of the supports under the organ in the Church of St Lawrence there, which contains some of Stwosz's finest works, probably depicts his son, Stanislaus, a sculptor who came from Krakow in 1527 to Nuremberg, where he assisted his father and still died before him in 1530. This portrait is carved from stone, in a half-figure, with a hammer in his hand, a middle-aged face, of the Polish type, with a large moustache; a long cap, hanging over his left ear, covers his head.