Saint Martin, Brixen workshop of Hans Klocker

Museum relief
Brixen workshop of Hans Klocker
Gais before 1474 - after 1500 Brixen
Saint Martin

Carved limewood, polychrome painted & gilded
Height 90 cm

Hans Klocker and the Brixen workshop

Hans Klocker, an important master carver of the late Gothic period, was active in the late 15th century in Brixen, one of the most important art centers in Tyrol. His workshop was characterized by a particularly fine surface treatment and an expressive conception of figures, which participated in the stylistic developments of late Gothic sculpture. Klocker’s works are characterized by a natural liveliness in the facial expressions, differentiated treatment of the robes and a technically sophisticated polychromy, which achieves fine contrasts through the poliment gilding and silver setting. His workshop created numerous altarpieces and individual figures, which were particularly popular in Tyrol and South Tyrol.

The standing saint

The figure of a male saint depicted here is an extremely finely carved bas-relief and comes from the same workshop in Brixen. The saint stands frontally on a finely carved grass surface. He is dressed in a long, silver oxidized tunic, which resembles a suit of armour due to the armour-like belt. This shimmering metallic clothing forms a striking contrast to the golden cloak, the inside of which is trimmed in red. The long, green boots, which are pointed and create an emphatically Gothic silhouette, are also striking.

The saint’s head is framed by tightly curled, shoulder-length hair and a full beard, both with fine, late Gothic curls that are characteristic of Klocker’s works. On his head he wears a hat with upturned brims, which presumably represents the headgear of a traveler. This could indicate a pilgrim or wandering saint. In his left hand he grasps the red inner hem of his cloak, suggesting a slight movement in the composition.

Stylistics

The figure is characterized by a stylistic differentiation typical of the late Gothic period. The surface treatment of the base shows a finely worked structure using a burin, as does the flowing hair. The drapery is particularly impressive: Angular triangular folds run staccato-like down from the crook of the arm and lie flat on the floor surface. This alternation of voluminous, angular, almost sculpturally protruding sections and flat, linear surfaces creates an exciting interplay between light and shadow. The poliment gilding enhances this effect by refracting the light differently on the surfaces. A finely tuned shading is visible on the edges of the folds in particular, lending the figure plasticity and an almost lively texture. This combination of geometric rigor and flat drapery is characteristic of the Klocker workshop and underlines its masterful late Gothic carving skills.

Identification as Saint Martin

The figure depicted most likely represents St. Martin of Tours, one of the most famous saints of the Middle Ages. Martin was a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity after a famous incident: he is said to have shared his cloak with a freezing beggar. He later became Bishop of Tours and was venerated throughout Europe as a patron saint. Originally, the figure may have carried a sword, although the depiction with a traveling hat and armor-like belt would indicate his origins as a soldier. In particular, the striking gesture of gathering his robes seems to function as a kind of attribute.

Mounting location

It is a relief that was placed in an altar, possibly on a wing or within a row of saints. In such contexts, attributes or narrative depictions were often abbreviated so that they were only fully legible in the context of other images of saints or the central altarpiece. This could explain why there are no clear identification features.

The figure of St. Martin impressively illustrates the masterly carving art of the Brixen workshop under Hans Klocker, whose works reflect significant stylistic developments in late Gothic sculpture with their expressive figure conception and fine surface treatment.

Literature

Gisela Scheffler, Hans Klocker. Observations on the carved altar of the Pacher period in South Tyrol, Innsbruck 1967.

Gisela Scheffler, “Hans Klocker”, in: Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB), Vol. 12, Berlin 1980, p. 103 f.