'St.peter' Panel With Gold Background , Cologne School 15th Century

Late Gothic, German (15th century)
Painter of the Cologne school, circle of Stephan Lochner (Meersburg, around 1400 - Cologne 1451)
Panel (compartment of a polyptych) with gold background depicting 'St. Peter the Apostle'

Oil on panel with a gold background
cm. 133.3 x 64 cm.
In frame (not contemporary) 148.5 x 78.5 cm.

This precious work, made in oil on a panel with a gold background, represents a full-length portrait of St. Peter the Apostle, while he supports his classic iconographic attributes: the golden keys of Heaven (alluding to power in the kingdom of heaven) and the book of scripture.

An extraordinary energy is released from the image of him, underlined by the twisted pose and pensive expression.
The iconography of the saint in question, which dates back to the fourth century, goes back to a physiognomy of the apostle where the expressive features are decisive, with thick hair, an unkempt beard and bare feet (as opposed to the elegant and refined features of Paolo, inspired by the prototype of the classical philosopher) and which therefore emphasize the '' human '' aspect of his figure.

The stylistic features of the Saint, placed at the center of the composition and surrounded by a precious gold leaf background expertly decorated, are inserted in the repertoire of central European art of the fifteenth century, particularly German, on the examples of Stephan Lochner (Meersburg, C. 1400 - Cologne 1451). German painter and leading exponent of international late Gothic, Lochner was heavily influenced by Flemish painting and one of the first artists to embrace the innovations of painting by artists such as Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck.

Considered the most important painter of the flourishing school in Cologne in the first half of the fifteenth century, in his creations he was able to enhance the trends of the time through the use of color (with very lively and brilliant colors) and drawing (with fluid and sinuous lines of the figures).

Cologne, the largest and richest city of the Holy Roman Empire in the mid-15th century and the largest commercial and artistic center in northern Europe, boasted a solid tradition of producing visual art of the highest quality, on a par with Vienna and Prague. It is therefore not surprising that the Lochenr workshop became a point of reference for a thriving pictorial activity. There were numerous pupils who, alongside the master, were involved in the production of oil paintings on single panels or collaborated in the creation of complex devotional polyptychs. With the exception of the name of the teacher, it is very difficult to trace the references of the individual students of which unfortunately little information has come to us.

Based on his form, we are inclined to trace the original location of our Saint back into a polyptych (altarpiece consisting of several panels) and precisely in the right compartment, given the pose of the figure; these complex structures consisted of a central table that served as the main subject, around which other 'accessory' tables were set.

St. Peter, given his relevance for the history of the Church, was a favorite figure and it was customary that in the representations of the altars he always occupied the place of honor next to the central altarpiece, often accompanied by St. Paul, whom we have just mentioned .

There is no doubt that, given the rarity of the fifteenth-century pictorial material, our table represents a precious testimony and a highly collectible work of art. The refined quality and charm that it releases are also enhanced by the prestigious background that surrounds the Saint, made with gold leaf, and in this case finished with a clear decoration worked with lilies.

The work is in excellent condition. Perfectly restored. On the back, the board has been professionally stabilized by parquet with sliding wooden support beams.