Impressive golden altar from the church in Weisweil (Upper Rhine region) depicting John the Baptist, Mauritius and Wolfgang
Castle, city and cathedral
Life in the Late Middle Ages
Impressive golden altar from the church in Weisweil (Upper Rhine region) depicting John the Baptist, Mauritius and Wolfgang
The period of the Late Middle Ages was characterized by the Christian faith, a powerful aristocracy and the flourishing of cities; it was also a time of devastating plagues and bloody wars. Between 1300 and 1520 especially, medieval society underwent a profound change. Whereas the power of the church remained almost unbroken for a long time, the importance of the knighthood and the minor aristocracy decreased rapidly. The confidence of the city-dwelling bourgeoisie, however, increased.
The focus of the exhibition is on the daily life of the people in the Upper Rhine region. The exhibition gives an insight into different aspects of mediaeval life such as church and religion, disease and death, castles and knighthood, city and countryside, craft and trade. Splendid altars, sculptures and reliefs, rare glass paintings and intricate jewellery are examples of the extraordinary flourishing of craft and art in these times.
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| Hanap, goblet consisting of two bowls, 1405–19 |
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| Madonna and Child by Tilman Riemenschneider |
Among the exhibition’s highlights are the magnificent altar of the Virgin Mary by Bernhard Strigel, glass paintings by Hans Baldung Grien and a Madonna and Child by Tilman Riemenschneider. The religious worldview is conveyed by the impressive reconstruction of parts of a church, instruments of ritual worship and the depiction of a danse macabre; by contrast, aspects of daily life are demonstrated by weapons, tools and an original room from a half-timbered house from southern Baden, set up to show a kitchen of the era. A detailed reconstruction of the once powerful fortress of Hohenbaden gives a vivid impression of the period.
Two Madonnas – right: Leiselheim, 1490; left: Ulm, late 15th century