Artwork
Sts Anthony the Hermit, Cornelius and Mary Magdalen with a Donor
Sts Anthony the Hermit, Cornelius and Mary Magdalen with a Donor is a wood painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Stefan Lochner. It dates from 1445 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
The central saint, identified as Anthony the Great, is flanked by Saint Cornelius and Mary Magdalene, while a kneeling donor is positioned at their feet.
Created in 1445, this panel painting by Stefan Lochner portrays a small devotional group set against a dark backdrop. The central saint, identified as Anthony the Great, is flanked by Saint Cornelius and Mary Magdalene, while a kneeling donor is positioned at their feet. The composition is compact, with each figure rendered in vivid attire that stands out against the somber background, conveying a mood of quiet reverence.
Subject & Meaning
The work brings together three distinct holy figures: Anthony the Hermit, noted for his asceticism; Cornelius, a martyr bishop; and Mary Magdalene, emblematic of penitence. Their juxtaposition with the donor suggests an intercessory appeal, inviting the patron’s prayers through the saints’ presence. The inclusion of a jar with the Magdalene and the staffs held by the male saints reinforce their traditional attributes and theological roles.
Technique & Style
Executed on a wooden panel, Lochner employs the delicate line work and luminous color palette characteristic of the International Gothic, while integrating a nascent naturalism associated with early Northern Renaissance art. Fine detailing—such as the patterned border on the donor’s robe and the subtle modeling of fabrics—demonstrates the artist’s skill in rendering texture and light within a relatively flat pictorial space.
History & Provenance
The painting has been part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich since the 19th century, where it remains a representative example of Lochner’s oeuvre. Its provenance prior to museum acquisition is not fully documented, but the work’s survival on wood attests to careful preservation and the continued appreciation of Cologne’s late Gothic artistic production.
Artist & collection
Artist
Stefan Lochner (the Dombild Master or Master Stefan; c. 1410 – late 1451) was a German painter working in the late International Gothic period. His paintings combine that era's tendency toward long flowing lines and…
