Master of the Severi Sarcophagus

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Severi sarcophagus, Erfurt, around 1365

The master of the Severi sarcophagus in Erfurt is the name given to the Gothic sculptor (s) and workshop who created the Severi sarcophagus , the sarcophagus of St. Severus in the Severikirche in Erfurt around 1365 . The remains of the Archbishop of Ravenna, which were transferred to Erfurt in 836, are kept here. The sarcophagus is in the south aisle of the church.

Representations on the sarcophagus

Probably two different sculptors depicted the saint and his family on the sandstone work on the cover plate and scenes from his life and a scene from the New Testament on the four side walls of the box sarcophagus :

  • Grave slab: Severus, his wife Vincentia and daughter Innocentia
  • Side walls:
    • Adoration of the Magi
    • Farewell to the wool weaver Severus from his family
    • (Deaf) miracle of the election of Saint Severus as bishop
    • Solemn enthronement of St. Severus

The style of the figures of the sarcophagus still shows the tightness of the high Gothic. Otto Buchner named the sculptor Johannes Gehart as a possible master of the side walls in 1902/1903 .

Art historical importance

The Severi sarcophagus is an example in the Gothic style of emphasizing the sanctity of the buried by placing it above ground. Such burial shows the saint-like status of “righteous people”, secular rulers and church princes in the epoch. Originally, grave slabs set into the floor of churches covered and protected the graves of people on high positions. It has long been discussed in art history, for what reason high tombs were created in the Gothic. The Severi sarcophagus from 1365 is mentioned as one of the first known examples of creating a tangible and permanent monument in honor of a deceased with a sarcophagus in three-dimensional figuration, which stands in a prominent position. The stone sarcophagus is a repetition of the ancient Roman-Greek forerunners of such burial practices of high-ranking people.

History of the Severi sarcophagus

After a fire in the west choir in 1472, the tomb was dismantled and the side panels set up elsewhere. The original cover plate was used as an attachment for the Severus altar in the south arm of the transept. It was not until 1948 that the side parts were put back together and in 1982 a cast of the original cover plate was put on.

Works (selection)

The master of Severi's sarcophagus and his workshop are further assigned:

literature

  • Otto Buchner: Sarcophagus of St. Severus . In: The medieval grave sculpture in northern and southern Thuringia with special consideration of the Erfurt monuments (=  studies on German art history . Issue 37). JHE Heitz, Strasbourg 1902, p. 71 ff. and 119–120 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
  • Otto Buchner: The Severi sarcophagus in Erfurt and its artist . In: Communications of the association for the history and antiquity of Erfurt . 24th issue, 2nd part. Self-published by the association, Erfurt 1903, p. 136–157 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
  • Master of the Severi Sarcophagus in Erfurt . In: Hans Vollmer (Hrsg.): General lexicon of fine artists from antiquity to the present . Founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker . tape 37 : Master with emergency names and monogramists . EA Seemann, Leipzig 1950, p. 308 .
  • R. Kober: The Severi sarcophagus. In: City and History. Magazine for Erfurt. 30, 2006, pp. 16-17, ISSN  1618-1964 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Otto Buchner: The medieval grave sculpture in northern and southern Thuringia with special consideration of the Erfurt monuments (=  studies on German art history . Issue 37). JHE Heitz, Strasbourg 1902, second section: Gothic architecture in relation to grave sculpture , p. 33 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
  2. Otto Buchner: The medieval grave sculpture in northern and southern Thuringia with special consideration of the Erfurt monuments (=  studies on German art history . Issue 37). JHE Heitz, Strasbourg 1902, fourth section: Die Tumben , p. 77 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
  3. ^ Otto Buchner: The Severi sarcophagus in Erfurt and its artist . In: Communications of the association for the history and antiquity of Erfurt . 24th issue, 2nd part. Self-published by the association, Erfurt 1903, p. 136–157 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
  4. H. Wäß: Form and Perception of Central German Memory Sculpture in the 14th Century. Volume 1: A contribution to medieval grave monuments, epitaphs and curiosities in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, North Hesse, East Westphalia and South Lower Saxony in two volumes. Tenea Verlag, Berlin 2006, p. 385.
  5. A. Weckwerth: The origin of the picture epitaph. In: Journal for Art History. Volume 20, Issue 2, 1957, pp. 147-185.
  6. ^ G. Böhm: Medieval figural tombs in Westphalia from the beginnings to 1400. LIT Verlag, Berlin-Hamburg-Münster, 1993.
  7. ^ Erfurt (Thuringia) - Cathedral and St. Severi. In: D. Arens: 100x Germany: the 100 most important cultural monuments. DuMont art travel guide. DuMont Reiseverlag, Ostfildern 2006, p. 138 f.
  8. Erfurt. In: G. Dehio: Handbook of the German art monuments, Volume 1 Central Germany. German Association for Art History, Berlin 1914. (Reprinted by Echo Library, 2007, p. 100).
  9. Yvonne Monsees: tombs in Kloster Eberbach. Freundeskreis Kloster Eberbach eV 2009, ISBN 978-3-00-027060-4 , p. 98.
  10. Georg Dehio : Handbook of the German art monuments - Hessen II: The administrative district Darmstadt. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-422-03117-3 , p. 423.