Dedication page to Seven places in Salzburg and Berchtesgaden...., a lithograph by Ferdinand Olivier

This is a dedication page to a series of seven landscape lithographs, which was advertised by Olivier (1785-1841) under a description which translates 'Seven places in Salzburg and Berchtesgaden, Arranged according to the seven days of the week, united through two allegorical sheets. In the year of our lord 1823.'The composition shows a tree of the new German art growing from a tablet inscribed with the biblical text 'I am the resurrection and the life'. On the tree is an altar with the Resurrection of Christ derived from Dürer's Large Passion of 1510 (see Other Views) in which Dürer's monogram is clearly visible. The four figures standing within Gothic-style tracery in the corners of the composition are personifications of the arts of sculpture, painting, poetry and architecture. The Archangel Gabriel welcomes a group of artists on the right: Johann Friedrich Overbeck is in the foreground with Ferdinand Oliver, and his brother Friedrich, behind. On the left St Michael fends off Satan and two art critics. The tree contains numerous plaquettes inscribed with the names of contemporary artists responsible for the revival of German art.