Multscher’s altar piece – an exceptional sale

by Nikolas Maisch

Altar wings by a German master

One of the few works in Count Joseph's collection that can be definitively proven to be original today are eight panel paintings from the so-called Wurzach Altar. They were created around 1436 by Hans Multscher (c. 1400–1467) for the Franciscan convent in Wurzach. The panels are made of painted fir wood on a gold background and are each about 1.5 meters high. They formed the inside and outside of two altar wings. They depict scenes from the Passion of Christ and the life of Mary. These works are among the most important examples of 15th-century German panel painting and are now in the Picture Gallery of the Berlin State Museums. One of the reasons why the eight scenes are significant in terms of art history is that they were signed by Multscher below the Death of Mary (bottom right): this was a novelty in German panel painting of the early 15th century. At the same time, Dutch influences can be seen in the incidence of light and the casting of shadows, which made the Wurzach altarpiece an important testimony to North Alpine panel painting. A carved group of figures including a depiction of the crucifixion is believed to have been located in the center between the two wings, but the middle section of the altar has not been preserved.

The Multscher altar is not only of special significance for the history of German art. The panels are also important for today's view of the Truchsessian Gallery, as they are among the few clearly verifiable originals in the collection. The panels were sold on May 14, 1804, in the exhibition rooms in London – even before the big auction in 1806. A handwritten sales catalog documents the sale to an anonymous English collector. Although the original asking price was £120, the panels ultimately changed hands for only £30. This reflects the count's difficult financial situation and enormous time pressure. Nevertheless, the sale is significant: compared to conditions on the European art markets, a quick sale and the £30 achieved were quite remarkable. In the 17th and 18th centuries, German masters accounted for only a very small part of the market volume in London and were hardly in demand on the English art market. From the perspective of today's research efforts, the Multscher altar thus provides valuable insight into the largely unknown fate of the Truchsessian Gallery.

Citation: Nikolas Maisch, The Wurzach Altar – an extraordinary sale, in: art&market. The Truchsessen Gallery in London and the English art market around 1800, URL: [...], as of June 2, 2025.