a school of artists in the south tyrol

A school of artists in the South Tyrol valley of the Pustertal.

Innichen (San Candido), a town in the alpine valley of the Pustertal (Val Pusteria), and at one time a centre for its art — Innichen centre. Innichen/San Candido is a typical town of the Pustertal, with steep shingled roofs, Baroque churches and the jagged peaks of the Dolomites reaching into the sky.

where is this valley?

The valley is the Pustertal (in Italian, Val Pusteria). It lies in the South Tyrol (Alto Adige) region of Northern Italy, on the border of Italy and Austria. At first sight, it seems remote, hemmed in by high peaks, swathed in snow for much of the year. But in fact it has always been an important trade route. Here, the Romans left traces of a settlement named Sebatum. Later, the valley became an important outpost of Christianity. The Benedictine abbey at Innichen/San Candido was founded in 769.

when did the school of artists emerge?

This South Tyrol valley gave birth to its school of artists in the 15^th century. Most of the artists worked in a northern Gothic style and many of them still remain anonymous. For instance, we find works attributed to the ‘Master of Uttenheim’ or the ‘Master of Niederolang’. We do not know their names: all we know is the town or village where they were active. Other masters at least have a first name: ‘Leonhard of Brixen’ and his pupil ‘Simon of Taisten’ are two examples.

what sort of things did they paint?

The output of the school of artists from this South Tyrol valley could be termed primitive. Most of the works, not surprisingly, were made for churches. But although it is heavily stylised, it is always lively and often has humorous interjections, little additions that seem to make wry comments on everyday life. The scenes are invariably scenes from scripture or episodes in the lives of the saints. However, the world that these artists depict is very much the world of the alpine valley in which they lived. In the faces, we can trace the features of the people who inhabited the Pustertal at the time, as well as their costumes and landscape.

why are they important?

Crucially, it is through this valley in the South Tyrol that the ideas of the Renaissance first came to the Alps. The talents of many of the Pustertal artists is homely, perhaps. But there was clearly collaboration and an exchange of ideas going on. Some of the artists travelled to Italy, bringing back much what they had learned, about perspective and how to depict the human form.

is there a key artist among them?

Yes. This valley in the South Tyrol and its artists’ school gave birth to one genius: Michael Pacher (1430/5–98). Born in the 1430s, Pacher began his apprenticeship in Bruneck. From there he went to Padua, and it was in Padua that he came into contact with the Venetian and Florentine art that was to have such a visible influence on his own. Later, he opened a workshop in Bruneck, before moving to Salzburg, where he died. Pacher is one of the greatest masters of the Tyrolean late Gothic style. It is he who brought Italian Renaissance ideas to the remote alpine valleys of his homeland.

where can we see work by these artists?

You can find frescoes and altarpieces by the South Tyrol Pustertal school of artists in churches and museums throughout the region. They key places are underlined in red on the map below.

Map of the alpine valley of the Pustertal in South Tyrol showing where art by its medieval masters can be seen

what to see in and around Brixen

1. Bressanone/Brixen. The Diocesan Museum in the Hofburg, the former seat of the Prince-Bishops, has two rooms devoted to works by Leonhard of Brixen. He ran a successful workshop which he later passed on to his son.

Wooden sculpture by Leonhard of Brixen, from the alpine valley of the Pustertal in South Tyrol — Figure from a group depicting the *Coronation of the Virgin*, with the narrow, elongated nose often seen in Leonhard of Brixen’s work.

2. Novacella/Neustift. The excellent museum of the Augustinian priory has works by many artists of the Pustertal school. Among them are: Friedrich Pacher (who may have been Michael Pacher’s brother); Leonhard of Brixen; the Master of Uttenheim and the Master of Niederolang. The former main altarpiece of the priory church, by Michael Pacher, was stolen by Napoleon and is now in Munich.

Altarpiece by the Master of Niederolang, an artist from a small village in the alpine valley of the Pustertal in South Tyrol — From the collection of Neustift Abbey: *Ascension of Christ* (c.1515) by the Master of Niederolang. The faces are sometimes cartoonish but recognisable expressions are nonetheless captured.
Is the man looking out at us, top right, a self-portrait of the artist?

Detail of a painting by the Master of Uttenheim, from the South Tyrol valley of the Pustertal — From the collection of Neustift Abbey: *St Augustine in his Study* by the Master of Uttenheim (c. 1470). The saint meditates on the mystery of the Holy Trinity, symbolised by the head with three faces in the top right. The texture of the gold brocade drapery is beautiful, as is the expression of curiosity on the face of the woman sneakily looking over Augustine’s shoulder. Another altarpiece by the Master of Uttenheim is now in the Belvedere in Vienna.

Detail of a painting by the South Tyrolean artist known as the Master of Uttenheim — Another scene from the same altarpiece by the Master of Uttenheim. Here St Augustine (in pale brown) is rapt and wide-eyed as he listens to St Ambrose preaching in Milan. Ambrose seems to have got into his stride, ticking items off on his fingers. Meanwhile two members of the audience have fallen fast asleep.

what to see in and around bruneck

3. San Lorenzo/St Lorenzen. The parish church has a very fine gilded and painted sculpture of the Madonna and Child by Michael Pacher. The Child holds a bunch of black grapes, one of which he has plucked to taste.

Madonna and Child by Michael Pacher, the key artist of the Pustertal school — *Madonna and Child* by Michael Pacher, in the church of San Lorenzo/St Lorenzen.

4. Campo Tures/Sand in Taufers. The castle has paintings by Michael Pacher.

5. Brunico/Bruneck. Bruneck is the main town of the alpine valley of the Pustertal. It is here that Michael Pacher had his studio. Sadly the town preserves no works by the master. However, the building where he lived and worked is proudly emblazoned with his name.

House in Bruneck in the Pustertal, South Tyrol, where Michael Pacher had his studio — Façade of the building where Michael Pacher had his studio, in Bruneck.

what to see in and around innichen

6. Tesido/Taisten. Here, in a village tucked away in its own alpine valley, the parish church has a tiny ceiling boss of the Madonna and Child by Michael Pacher. The little chapel of St George has exterior frescoes by Simon of Taisten.

Giant St Christopher by Simon of Taisten, one of the artists of the alpine Pustertal valley school — Fresco of St Christopher on the chapel of St George in Tesido/Tasiten, by the eponymous Simon of Taisten, thought to have been born in the village. Simon is known to have been an astute businessman and he ran a successful workshop, concentrating on frescoes in the dry, summer months and on painted altarpieces in the winter.

7. San Candido/Innichen. The exterior of the south portal of the old abbey church has a fresco of the patron saints St Candidus and St Corbinian by Michael Pacher. Deep in the forest to the north of the town, in the alpine valley known as the Sylvestertal, is the little chapel of St Sylvester, which has charming apse frescoes attributed to Leonhard of Brixen.

Fresco attributed to Leonhard of Brixen, in an alpine valley north of Innichen (San Candido) in the South Tyrol — *The Visitation*, attributed to Leonhard of Brixen, in the chapel of St Sylvester above San Candido/Innichen. The Virgin Mary, pregnant with Jesus, is shown greeting Elizabeth, who is also pregnant (with John the Baptist). The artist charmingly depicts the two babies in embryo.

8. Monguelfo/Welsberg. Outside the parish church is a painted tabernacle with a Madonna and Child, Crucifixion and other scenes by Michael Pacher. Though much restored, this is perhaps the best place in the Pustertal to gain an impression of how modern this artist’s style was for his day.

Head of the Virgin by Michael Pacher, the greatest medieval artist of the South Tyrol — *Head of the Virgin*, from the tabernacle in Monguelfo/Welsberg. Michael Pacher is known to have gone to Padua, where Donatello was at work. Looking at this Madonna, it is tempting to imagine that he also knew the art of Botticelli.

The famous Birth of Venus by Botticelli, an artist whose work Michael Pacher probably knew — Detail from Botticelli’s *Birth of Venus* (1480s) in the Uffizi, Florence (photo: Wikimedia).

Blue Guide Trentino & the South Tyrol »