Stefan Lochner

Who was Stefan Lochner?

Stefan Lochner was a German painter working in the late Gothic style. He was active in Cologne, Germany, and is best known for the Altar of the City Patrons triptych, painted for the Town Hall chapel in the 1440s and now in Cologne Cathedral. Lochner was one of the most important German artist before Albrecht Dürer; an artist who held Lochner in great esteem and is most identified with continuing his legacy.

Lochner was one of the last major painters working in the "soft style" of the International Gothic tradition. His work is known for its clean appearance, virtuoso surface textures, and innovative iconography. He was praised by Friedrich Schlegel and Goethe for the "sweetness and grace" of his Madonna portraits. His paintings combine a Gothic tendency towards long flowing lines in brilliant colours with a Flemish-influenced realism and attention to detail. Lochner's compositions often include fanciful angels, singing and playing musical instruments. He was skilled both as a miniaturist and a painter of monumental works. He seems to have had knowledge of metal work, given his realistic deceptions of objects such as the Magi's gifts in the Cologne altarpiece.