Das Bildnis bei den altdeutschen Meistern bis auf Dürer

A meticulously researched dissertation, this study follows the evolution of the human image in German art from the Carolingian foundations through the flourishing of manuscript illumination, wall frescoes and sculpture, up to the rise of print media in the late fifteenth century. The author expands the usual focus on portraiture to consider all forms of depiction, revealing how early Germanic sensibilities blended with lingering Roman influences to create a distinctive visual language.

The work is organized in three parts. The first offers a broad survey of portraiture across media, omitting panel painting to keep the overview concise. The second delves into panel art, examining regional workshops and stylistic shifts in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The final section weaves these findings into a larger cultural narrative, drawing parallels with contemporary Italian studies while highlighting the unique trajectory of German imagery before the Renaissance fully takes hold.