Veit Stoss Altarpiece: From Kraków to Nazi Looting and Back
The Veit Stoss Altarpiece, also known as St. Mary's Altar, is recognized as the largest Gothic altarpiece globally and is a cherished national artifact of Poland. This remarkable piece was intricately carved over a span of 12 years, reaching a height of 13 meters and a width of 11 meters, located in St. Mary's Basilica in Kraków, and showcases more than 200 sculpted figures. The altarpiece features a pentaptych design that evolves from flat reliefs on the outer wings to nearly fully three-dimensional figures at its center. Created by German sculptor Veit Stoss (1448–1533) in Kraków, he departed abruptly in 1496, possibly due to financial misconduct, and was later apprehended in Nuremberg. Before World War II, the altarpiece was concealed, confiscated by the Nazis in 1940, rediscovered by Polish prisoners, and returned to Kraków in 1946 after undergoing restoration.
Key facts
- The Veit Stoss Altarpiece is the largest Gothic altarpiece in the world, standing 13 meters high and 11 meters wide.
- It contains over 200 sculpted figures, some nearly 3 meters tall, and is a pentaptych with five sections.
- Veit Stoss (1448–1533) carved the altarpiece over 12 years, completing it in 1489.
- The altarpiece cost an estimated 2808 florins, roughly equivalent to Kraków's entire annual budget.
- Stoss left Kraków in 1496 and was later arrested in Nuremberg in 1503 for forgery; he was branded on both cheeks and pardoned in 1506 by Emperor Maximilian.
- Before World War II, the altarpiece was disassembled and hidden in crates in Kraków and Sandomierz.
- In 1940, the Nazis seized it and moved it to Nuremberg Castle, but Polish prisoners alerted the resistance.
- After the war, it was returned to Kraków in 1946 and reinstalled in St. Mary's Basilica in 1957 after 10 years of restoration.
Entities
Artists
- Veit Stoss
- Albrecht Dürer
- Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Institutions
- St. Mary's Basilica
- Nuremberg Castle
- DailyArt Magazine
Locations
- Kraków
- Poland
- Nuremberg
- Germany
- Sandomierz