SCHONGAUER (or SHON), MARTIN (c. engraver and painter of the early German school. His father was a goldsmith named Caspar, a native of Augsburg, who had settled at Colmar, where the chief part of Martin's life was spent. Schongauer established at Colmar a very important school of engraving, out of which grew the "little masters" of the succeed ing generation, and a large group of Nuremberg artists. As a painter, Schongauer was a follower of the Flemish Roger van der Weyden, and his painting closely resembles both in splendour of colour and exquisite minuteness of execution, the best works of contemporary art in Flanders. The only picture which can with certainty be attributed to him, is a magnificent altar-piece in the church of St. Martin at Colmar, dated 1473, representing the Virgin and Child before a hedge of roses. Schongauer was the first painter who was also an engraver, and his work contributed much to the development of engraving. He produced a large number of beautiful engravings, which were largely sold, not only in Germany, but also in Italy, England, France and Spain. His
subjects are always religious; 113 prints from copper by his hand are known; they are signed with his monogram M-F S. Among the most beautiful of Schongauer's engravings are the series of the "Passion" and the "Death and Coronation of the Virgin," and the series of the "Wise and Foolish Virgins." All are remark able for their treatment of line, their brilliant touch, and their chromatic force. Some, such as the "Death of the Virgin" and the "Adoration of the Magi" are richly-filled compositions of many figures, treated with much largeness of style in spite of their minute scale. He died in Breisach in 1491.
The British Museum possesses a fine collection of Schongauer's prints. Fine facsimiles of his engravings have been produced by Armand-Durand with text by Duplessis (Paris, 1881).