Franciscan altar: The blood miracle of the Corpse of Saint Bernard of Siena
Historical Context
This panel by the Master of the Wolfgang Altar depicting the blood miracle of Saint Bernard of Siena's corpse, painted around 1465 and now in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, illustrates a posthumous miracle associated with the Franciscan preacher. Such miracle scenes were important for the promotion of saintly cults, providing visual evidence of divine favor that supported the case for canonization or continued veneration.
Technical Analysis
The Master of the Wolfgang Altar's vivid narrative approach creates a compelling scene of the miraculous event, with the detailed, expressive style characteristic of Austrian late Gothic painting.
