Artwork
Überführung der Gebeine des hl. Oswald
Überführung der Gebeine des hl. Oswald is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Meister der Oswaldlegende. It dates from 1492 and is held in the collection of the Belvedere. Created in 1492, the work titled Überführung der Gebeine des hl.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1492, the work titled Überführung der Gebeine des hl. Oswald is a religious panel attributed to the anonymous master known as the Meister der Oswaldlegende. Executed in the late Gothic style, it is part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The composition centers on a solemn procession surrounding a coffin, evoking the translation of Saint Oswald’s relics.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays a group of mourners gathered around a coffin draped in a vivid red cloth, topped with a skull that signals mortality. A woman in a white dress stands prominently, while other figures wear red, green, and brown robes. A towering cross rises in the background beneath a blue sky, underscoring the Christian context of reverence and the passage of holy remains.
Technique & Style
The artist’s handling of light on the cloth and the atmospheric sky reflects a careful study of material texture and spatial depth.
Rendered in tempera on panel, the painting displays the intricate detailing characteristic of late‑15th‑century Germanic art. Fine brushwork defines the varied facial expressions, ranging from grief to contemplation, while the use of bright primary colors against a muted landscape creates a stark visual contrast. The artist’s handling of light on the cloth and the atmospheric sky reflects a careful study of material texture and spatial depth.
History & Provenance
The work has been documented in museum records since the 19th century and entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings as part of its early Netherlandish and Germanic collection. Its attribution to the Meister der Oswaldlegende rests on stylistic parallels with other works depicting the Oswald legend, confirming its place within a specific devotional iconographic tradition.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Austria’s late-15th-century oil painter, known only as Meister der Oswaldlegende, specialized in vivid scenes of St.
Lamentation of Christ
Kreuztragung Christi
Legend of the Relics of St. John the Baptist
The Throne of Mercy with the Virgin, St. John, and Angels with the Arma Christi
Kreuzabnahme
The carrying of the cross
Kruisdraging
The Crucifixion
Altarpiece with The Passion of Christ
Ecce Homo
The Descent from the Cross
Kreuzigung Christi