Man Meditating, an apparent self-portrait, c. 1465
Nikolaus Gerhaert (c.1420 – 28 June 1473), also known asNikolaus Gerhaert van Leyden, was a Dutchsculptor, although aside from the works attributed to him, few details are known of his life. He worked in both stone and wood.
Gerhaert is considered to be the most influentialnorthern European sculptor of the 15th century. He was born inLeiden,Holland (present day Netherlands) sometime around 1420. Based on the location of his work, he spent most his working life in theGermanicUpper Rhine areas ofTrier,Straßburg,Baden,Konstanz, andAustrianVienna in his last years. Much of his documented work is lost to history, but what has survived is characterized by elaborate drapery and extreme physicalrealism, both extraordinarily vivid and unconventional. His specialties weretombs,altarpieces and other religious pieces.Sandstone andlimestone are among his most frequent mediums.
One of his most well known works currently resides in theMusée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame in Strasbourg (Alsace, present day France). Called theBuste d'homme accoudé (c. 1465), it is an undisputed masterpiece, and is believed to be a self-portrait. Gerhaert died on 28 June 1473[1] inWiener Neustadt (present dayAustria) while working on the tomb ofEmperor Frederick III. Nicolaus Gerhaert was summoned to the imperial court to create this tomb after the death ofEmpress Eleanor of Portugal. The tomb was completed in 1513.
Reliquary Busts of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Barbara, attributed to his workshop, walnut, painted and gilded (on limewood base), c. 1465,17.190.1734 and17.190.1735, associated with the figure in Chicago as part of a dispersed high altar inWissembourg
Chicago,Art Institute of Chicago:Saint Margaret of Antioch (attributed), walnut with traces of polychromy, c. 1465
^Renate Kohn, "Eine bisher unbekannte Grabinschrift des Niclas Gerhaert von Leyden",Wiener Geschichtsblätter 48 (Vienna 1993), pp. 164–70.
^Mechtild Ohnmacht,Das Kruzifix des Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden in Baden-Baden von 1467: Typus, Stil, Herkunft, Nachfolge, P. Lang, Frankfurt/Berlin/Bern 1973,ISBN3-261-00868-7 (simultaneously thesis, Munich 1971)(in German).
^Philippe Lorentz, "Nicolas Gerhaert de Leyde et le chanoine Conrad de Bussnang: au cœur d'un réseau de commanditaires", in Fabienne Joubert (ed.),L'artiste et le clerc: commandes artistiques des grands ecclésiastiques à la fin du Moyen Âge (XIVe-XVIe siècles), Presses Paris Sorbonne, 2006, p. 305-328,ISBN9782840504382(in French).
^Standing Virgin and Child (1996.14) on the website of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with more pictures and commentary. It is one of only eight works in wood attributed to Gerhaert.