The Resurrection of Christ

Altdorfer became a citizen of Regensburg in 1505; later he owned two townhouses and had his own vineyards. He became a member of Regensburg’s inner council in 1526 and finally its officiaI architect. Little is known, however, about the painter’s early artistic career up to the point (1512/13) when he – along with Albrecht Dürer – began receiving extensive commissions from Emperor Maximilian I. Along with three other panels (including the Entombment of Christ; KHM, GG 6427), the Resurrection of Christ was originally part of a predella (base of an altarpiece). The twelve larger panels of the wings are still in their place of origin, the Abbey of St. Florian near Linz. In 1508 its provost had commissioned Altdorfer to paint an altar to St. Sebastian. All the other parts of the polyptych – wooden sculptures and shrine – have been lost. The illumination and use of colour are highly dramatic. Christ appears in a dark scene – actually set at night. His halo is at the same time the setting sun, glowing red in the background. The uniformly formal treatment of the human figures and their setting along with the expressive depiction of the vegetation are striking qualities of the so-called Danube school of painting, which resulted from the early work of Lucas Cranach. Altdorfer became its most important exponent.

© Cäcilia Bischoff, Masterpieces of the Picture Gallery, Vienna 2010