Balaam master

Balaam Master: Miniature from the Wenceslas Bible around 1400

One of the illuminators who painted the Wenceslas Bible around 1400 is called the Balaam Master or Master of Balaam . The artist, also known as the master of the Balaam story of the Wenceslas Bible , is not known by name. He got his emergency name after the miniatures he created, which depict Balaam from the Book of Numbers. The books Deuteronomy and Joshua in the Wenceslas Bible are also illuminated by him . In total, he probably painted more than 125 pages.

The Baalam master was probably a south-east German illuminator and shows the emphasis on sculpture-like large figures and based on a traditional style, such as that found in B. can also be found with Konrad von Wittingau . The master’s miniatures set themselves apart from other paintings by other painters in the Wenceslas Bible using more recent painting techniques. The quality of the execution of his work varies.

Like all artists working in the so-called Wenceslas workshop , the Baalam master followed the instructions, some of which can still be found on the pages, as to which and how a scene is to be designed graphically. This indicated his work under a workshop leadership who coordinated the complete edition of the Wenceslas Bible.

Individual evidence

^ Gerhard Schmidt : Painting until 1450. Panel painting - wall painting - book painting . In: Karl M. Swoboda (Ed.): Gotik in Böhmen. History, social history, architecture, sculpture and painting. Prestel, Munich 1969, pp. 167-321.
^ Jiří Fajt (ed.): Charles IV. Emperor by God's grace. Art and Representation of the House of Luxembourg 1310–1437. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich et al. 2006, ISBN 3-422-06598-9 , pp. 339, 486 f., 515 (exhibition catalog Prague and New York).

personal data
SURNAME	Balaam master
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Master of Balaam
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Illuminator of the Middle Ages, designed the Wenceslas Bible
DATE OF BIRTH	before 1400
DATE OF DEATH	after 1400

[1] Gerhard Schmidt : Painting until 1450. Panel painting - wall painting - book painting . In: Karl M. Swoboda (Ed.): Gotik in Böhmen. History, social history, architecture, sculpture and painting. Prestel, Munich 1969, pp. 167-321.

[2] Jiří Fajt (ed.): Charles IV. Emperor by God's grace. Art and Representation of the House of Luxembourg 1310–1437. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich et al. 2006, ISBN 3-422-06598-9 , pp. 339, 486 f., 515 (exhibition catalog Prague and New York).