Ein Neufund von 1508/09, die Historia Friderici et Maximiliani und Albrecht Altdorfer

The contribution of Martin Roland discusses a tinted drawing showing angels relieving Poor Souls from purgatory. The drawing marks the beginning of a quire dedicated to the foundation of a perpetual daily mass at the convent Traunkirchen (Upper Austria) and can be securely dated to 1508/09. The donator was Hans Herzheimer a rich entrepreneur in the local salt-mining industry. Cimelie 144 of the Stadtarchiv (Civic Archives) of Munich was compiled – presumably during the later 16th century – from various quires of comparable shape and content but introduced by less impressive illustrations. The paper mainly focuses on a broad stylistic study, which aims to establish the newly discovered illustration within the oeuvre of Albrecht Altdorfer’s drawings. The artist depicts nudes full of individual character and physical presence. The masterly illustration presents a very elaborate and individual graphic style, which bears especially close resemblance to the illustrations of the famous Historia Friderici et Maximiliani. Mr. Roland adds further evidence to ascribe these illustrations to Albrecht Altdorfer himself. A special focus is put on the technical difference between tinted book illustrations (such as the illustration of the purgatory and of the Historia) and stand-alone drawings. Albrecht Altdorfer was a genuine master in both fields.