Jakobus-Stephanus-Altar: Die hll. Jakobus und Stephanus

Reichlich employs detailed rendering of luxurious fabrics, using fine brushwork to suggest the texture of woven gold patterns. The vivid coloration and precise modeling of the saints’ halos reflect the Northern Renaissance’s emphasis on realism and devotional clarity.

Commissioned for ecclesiastical use, the altar panel remained in religious contexts before entering the public museum sphere. It was eventually acquired by the Alte Pinakothek, where it is displayed alongside other works by Reichlich, such as his Adoration of the Magi and The Last Judgment, which are housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Reichlich’s career, spanning roughly 1460‑1520, was dominated by religious commissions for churches across the Austrian lands. His output reflects the devotional needs of the period, integrating iconographic symbols—like Stephen’s shell—to convey theological narratives to congregations.