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See the original at Bode Museum in Berlin
The Four Evangelists
by Tilman Riemenschneider, 1491
Details
- Year
- 1491
- Medium
- Limewood
- Size
- 72.5-77.5 cm tall each
Tilman Riemenschneider carved the Four Evangelists between 1490 and 1492 as part of the Münnerstadt Altarpiece, his first dated major commission. These limewood figures of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John showcase the German sculptor's ability to convey spiritual intensity through expressive faces and flowing drapery.
Riemenschneider left the wood unpainted, a departure from medieval tradition. He trusted the natural beauty of the limewood to speak for itself, revealing subtle variations in grain and tone that polychrome would have hidden. This choice influenced later German sculpture and demonstrated a growing Renaissance appreciation for material qualities.
The evangelists originally stood on the altarpiece predella in the parish church of Münnerstadt in Franconia. Later modifications scattered the ensemble. The Four Evangelists came to the Bode Museum in Berlin, which now dedicates an entire room to Riemenschneider's work. Other elements remain in Münnerstadt or went to the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich. Matthew and John wear classical robes while Mark and Luke appear as medieval scholars in academic caps.
