Flügel eines Altares: Die hl. Margarethe (Martha?) Rückseite: Hl. Afra

Bartholomäus Zeitblom painted Saints Margaret and Afra as altarpiece wings around 1502 in Ulm. Saint Afra was particularly venerated in Bavaria and Swabia, while Margaret was universally popular. The paired composition reflects the Swabian tradition of matching complementary saints on altarpiece wings. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with Zeitblom's bright Ulm coloring and careful rendering of the saints' attributes. The paired composition creates a devotional symmetry appropriate to altarpiece wing decoration.