Washington, National Gallery). They reveal knowledge
of works by important painters of the preceding genera-
tion in Westphalia and Cologne. Koerbecke’s Crucifi x-
ion is inspired by Conrad von Soest’s paintings of that
subject, his Presentation is an interpretation of Stephan
Lochner’s 1447 version (Darmstadt, Hessisches Lan-
desmuseum), and his Resurrection is based on Master
Francke’s 1424 Englandfahrer Altarpiece (Hamburg,
Kunsthalle). Koerbecke’s volumetric fi gures and de-
tailed, naturalistic treatment of interiors and landscapes
derive from Netherlandish art.
Other attributed works are the wings of the Langen-
horst Altarpiece with eight scenes from the Passion
(Münster, Westfälisches Landesmuseum), ca. 1445,
and three panels from an altarpiece with scenes from
the life of Saint John the Baptist: the baptism of Christ
and Christ with Saint John (Münster, Westfälisches
Landesmuseum), and the beheading of the Baptist (The
Hague, Meermanno-Westreenianum Museum), ca.
- A wing with Saints John the Baptist and George,
and a fragment with Saint Christopher, survive from the
Freckenhorst Altarpiece of ca. 1470–1480 (Munster,
Westfalisches Landesmuseum).
See also Francke, Master; Lochner, Stefan
Further Reading
Kirchhoff, Karl-Heinz. “Maler und Malerfamilien in Münster.”
Westfalen 4 (1977): 98–110.
Luckhardt, Jochen. Der Hochaltar der Zisterzienserklosterkirche
Marienfeld. Münster: Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Kunst
und Kulturgeschichte, 1987.
Pieper, Paul, Die deutschen, niederländischen und italienischen
Tafelbilder bis um 1530. Bestandskataloge des Westfälischen
Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte. Münster:
Aschendorff, 1986, pp. 140–200.
Sommer, Johannes. Johann Koerbecke: Der Meister des Marien-
felder Altars von 1457. Dissertation, Universtität Bonn, 1937.
Münster: Westfälische Vereinsdruckerei, 1937.
Susanne Reece
KONRAD VON WÜRZBURG
(ca. 1230–1287)
Included among the “twelve old masters” revered by
Meistersingers, Konrad produced one of the largest
and most varied oeuvres in all of Middle High German
literature. Initially neglected by modern scholars as
an epigone and mannerist, critics are now examining
Konrad’s work in its own context. Konrad embodies a
turn in German literature, he was neither noble (Song 32,
line 189: waere ich edel, if I were noble) nor a part of the
court. Konrad plied his trade in the cities and wrote for
the wealthy bourgeoisie and the urban nobility. Archives,
offi cial documents, and Konrad’s works themselves
provide us with an extraordinary amount of information
about his life and patronage. Born in Würzburg, Konrad
began as a wandering poet, spent time in Strasbourg and
eventually settled in Basle. Konrad wrote two lays. Got
gewaltec waz du schickest (Powerful God, what you
send) is a religious lay in praise of the Virgin and the
Trinity. Vênus diu feine diust entslâfen (Elegant Venus
has fallen asleep) is a secular lay treating courtly love.
Unfortunately, the melodies to both of these have been
lost. Konrad’s shorter love lyric consists primarily of
nine summer songs and eleven winter songs character-
ized by fl oral metaphors and the jârlanc introduction
(nos. 5, 6, 10, 13, 17, 21, 23, 27). Konrad also produced
three dawn songs (nos. 14, 15, 30), as well as exempla
(nos. 18, 24, 25), maxims, and religious poetry. In
Konrad’s short lyric, one fi nds all the qualities of literary
mannerism. For example, in song 26, every single word
is part of a rhyming pair: Gar bar lît wît walt, kalt snê
wê tuot: gluot sî bî mir. The excessive, albeit impres-
sive rhyme schemes, especially in songs 26, 27, 28 and
30, ultimately obscure the meaning and emotion of the
poetry and Konrad’s use of traditional imagery often
undermines the originality of his stylistic innovations.
Konrad’s allegory, Die Klage der Kunst (Art’s Com-
plaint), appeals for patronage and support of “true art”
(rehte kunst). His hymn in praise of the Virgin Mary, Die
goldene Schmiede (The Golden Smith), draws on and
synthesizes an extraordinary range of medieval images
and symbols. This work may have been commissioned
by the Strasbourg Bishop Konrad von Lichtenberg.
Other religious-oriented works include Konrad’s verse
legends. Silvester (1260) was commissioned by Liutold
von Roeteln, the legend of Alexius (1265), by Johannes
von Bermeswil and Heinrich Iselin, and Konrad com-
posed the story of Pantaleon (1258) for Johannes von Ar-
guel. The patronage of Konrad’s earliest narrative work,
Das Turnier von Nantes (The Tournament of Nantes,
1257–1258) is unknown, but critics suspect that it was
written for someone affi liated with the Lower Rhine
region. The tournament takes place at the Arthurian
capital of Nantes and pits the German princes under the
leadership of Richard of England against the French
princes, under the leadership of the king of France. This
poem was probably intended to win the support of the
lower German princes for the recently crowned king of
the Romans, Richard, earl of Cornwall (May 17, 1257).
Konrad’s fragment, Schwannritter (Swan Knight), also
seems to have been written during this period. The tale
is related to the French Chevalier au Cygne (1200) and
the Lohengrin story found at the end of Wolfram von
Eschenbach’s Parzival (1210). Undoubtedly, Konrad’s
Mären (lyric novellas) are the most impressive and well-
known works in his oeuvre. Das Herzemaere relates the
popular tale of the jealous lord who feeds his wife theKONRAD VON WÜRZBURG