Paumgartner altarpiece facts for kids
The Paumgartner altarpiece is a famous painting created around the year 1500. It was made by a well-known German artist named Albrecht Dürer. This special artwork was ordered by the Paumgartner family from the city of Nuremberg.
This painting is a type of artwork called a triptych. A triptych is a painting made of three panels that are joined together. The middle part of the painting shows a Nativity scene. This is a picture of the birth of Jesus. The two side panels show important saints. On the left, you can see Saint George. On the right, you can see Saint Eustace.
The faces of these saints are actually donor portraits. This means they are pictures of the people who paid for the artwork. In this case, they are the brothers Stephan and Lukas Paumgartner. You can also spot other members of the Paumgartner family. They appear as smaller figures in the middle part of the painting.
A Journey Through Time
The Paumgartner altarpiece has a long and interesting history. It has been moved, changed, and even damaged over the centuries.
Changes Over the Years
In 1616, a ruler named Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria bought the painting. He moved it to Munich. At that time, people liked different styles of art. So, the painting was changed to fit the tastes of the 1600s.
Artists added helmets, horses, and new backgrounds to the saints' pictures. They also painted over the small family figures in the center. These changes were removed much later. In 1903, experts carefully cleaned and restored the painting. They brought it back to how it looked originally.
A Difficult Time and Restoration
On April 20, 1988, the Paumgartner altarpiece faced a big challenge. It was one of three paintings at the Alte Pinakothek museum that were damaged. Someone attacked the artworks with a strong acid.
The Paumgartner altarpiece was badly hurt. The damage was very serious. It took many years for art experts to fix it. After 21 years of careful work, the painting was finally ready. It was put back on display in 2010 for everyone to see again.
See also
In Spanish: Retablo Paumgartner para niños
