GERMAN PAINTING. The only re mains of German painting during the early Middle Ages are to be found in text illustra tions in old manuscripts. Much study has been given to this subject in recent years and clever deductions have been made as to the style of painting, now unhappily lost but contemporary with these illustrations. On the whole, how ever, the two arts are too different to permit of definite conclusions. The first historical ref erence to a German painter is contained in the recognition bestowed by Emperor Charles IV on Nicolaus Wurmser, in 1359. Soon after also Theoderich of Prague is mentioned. A set of religious pictures in Castle Caristein is cus tomarily assigned to these men. The drafts manship is good, while the technique of paint ing is poor. In conception they reveal two points for which the whole of early German art is known: (1) A peculiar tenderness of thought, and (2) a close observation of some characteristic details of nature. Contemporary with these two artists working in Bohemia was Meister Wilhelm of Cologne, by all odds the strongest artistic personality of his time, of whose works only fragments remain in the city hall of Cologne. Many pictures, however, are extant by what is called his school, and all are characterized by great winsomeness. The love with which they were painted is unmistakable. In contrast with their Italian contemporaries, the German artists were little interested in studied abstract principles of technique. Per spective in general was known to them, but it never occurred to them to make the technique of the picture its main feature. On the con trary the main appeal of all German pictures was not to the intellect, but to the emotions. From this fact springs another defect noted in early German art by those familiar with the best in Italian art, namely its lack of dramatic force. The best preserved work of this period is the altar piece in the cathedral of Cologne by Meister Stephan. With the exception of this panel of the Annunciation, Meister Stephan contented himself with painting noble figures on a flat background, unconcerned about visualizing the actions which he endeav ored to portray. The figures themselves are undoubtedly influenced, if not actually copied from the mystery plays (mysterien-spiele) which were very popular in Germany at that time. One result of this is that the characters are all humanly near to the spectator. During the 15th and 16th centuries it was not Italian art, as one would have expected, which strongly influenced German art, but the art of the Neth erlands. This was due to the strong ties of race and propinquity. Nor do the extant pic tures permit, as is possible in Italian art, the study of the gradual advance from early en deavors through faithful application to per fection. The transition from the half-crude pictures of the early Germans to the almost perfect work of Holbein, Dfirer, and Cranach is incredibly swift, and only few intervening personalities stand out with sufficient clearness. Martin (1446-88) is one of them, and he has been called the first really great Ger man painter. Although few of his pictures
have been preserved his greatness is attested to by his wonderful engravings. In him the realistic tendencies of his predecessors were coupled with a delicate sense of the ideal. Hans Holbein the Elder (1460-1524), whose reputa tion has suffered by the fame of his younger namesake, belonged like Schongauer to the southern German school. He was especially successful in catching convincing poses and facial expressions and being a good drafts man, painted pictures which can hold their own by the side of those of the High Renais sance in Italy. Characteristic of him was a sense of the ornamental, and a telling use of architectural forms in his pictures. His son, Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) sur passed him to -such an extent that the younger Holbein is justly ranked among the world's greatest painters. He had inherited from his father a clear eye for things as they are and the gift of selecting essentials. In addition he had the rare power of indicating, by never a line that overshot its mark, the spiritual atti tude of his subject. This made him one of the greatest portrait painters of all times. He trav eled extensively, knew the art of all countries, but remained faithful to his one great teacher, nature herself. He enjoyed great popularity in all countries and painted, among others, some of the most important personages in Great Britain. Albrecht Darer (1471-1528) was the equal of Holbein in artistic achieve ment, but in everything else fundamentally dif ferent. While the latter was objective, cool and observant, Darer was fervently imagina tive. Holbein knew how to efface his own per sonality. The personality of Darer, conscien tious, fervent, thoughtful and inspiring, is everywhere apparent. Unlike Holbem, whose interest in nature was confined to animate na ture, Diirer loved plants and rocks and water equally well. The whole world in fact was his. He visited Italy twice. After his first visit he tried to copy the exquisite beauty of line of the Florentines. After his second visit, the rich color of the Venetians had greater inter est for him. He was, however, no slavish imi tator, and throughout remained distinctly Ger man. Some critics, therefore, miss in him that largeness which seemed native to his Italian contemporaries,* and find fault with 'his naive awkwardness of figure,* and angu larity of line. They blame him for his (Ger man exactness,* and do not know that it is this very quality- which endeared him to his people. Artists after all paint for their own people, and to judge them properly one should never forget to judge also of the tastes of their contemporaries. This is especially true of the work of Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), the painter of the German Reformation; for he was a warm personal friend of Luther. He was at his best in his portraits of the great men of the Reformation and in his pictures of the Virgin Mary. He was, moreover, a man of humor and painted some splendid parodies.