Die Apostelteilung
Historical Context
The Master of the Heilsbronn High Altar painted this Apostle Separation around 1500 in Franconia. The Apostle Separation, showing the twelve apostles dividing to evangelize the world, was a theologically important scene marking the beginning of the Church's missionary activity. The Master was a leading painter of the Heilsbronn Cistercian monastery. 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.
Technical Analysis
Oil on panel with careful rendering of the twelve apostles in varied poses and expressions. The composition organizes the group's division into an effective narrative of departure and mission.
