Claus Berg's Funen Altarpieces
With English summary
Rich illustrated
The altarpiece in Odense Cathedral is a magnificent example of artistic expression from the last days of the Catholic Church in Denmark. The panel's motifs are a combination of the story of Christ's suffering and the worship of Mary. There is a crowd of aristocratic ladies who recall the worldly splendor and splendor of the princely court of the time. The portraits of the royal family have a reliability in their expression that matches other portraits of them. Claus Berg executed a number of other altarpieces for churches mainly in Funen. These works are also treated in the book.
With English summary
Rich illustrated
The altarpiece in Odense Cathedral is a magnificent example of artistic expression from the last days of the Catholic Church in Denmark. The panel's motifs are a combination of the story of Christ's suffering and the worship of Mary. There is a crowd of aristocratic ladies who recall the worldly splendor and splendor of the princely court of the time. The portraits of the royal family have a reliability in their expression that matches other portraits of them. Claus Berg executed a number of other altarpieces for churches mainly in Funen. These works are also treated in the book.
With English summary
Rich illustrated
The altarpiece in Odense Cathedral is a magnificent example of artistic expression from the last days of the Catholic Church in Denmark. The panel's motifs are a combination of the story of Christ's suffering and the worship of Mary. There is a crowd of aristocratic ladies who recall the worldly splendor and splendor of the princely court of the time. The portraits of the royal family have a reliability in their expression that matches other portraits of them. Claus Berg executed a number of other altarpieces for churches mainly in Funen. These works are also treated in the book.
Om de middelalderlige kunstnere er der sjældent bevaret oplysninger. En undtagelse er billedskærer Claus Berg, dog er det ikke fuldstændigt. Claus Berg stammer fra Lübeck og det vides at han har været på uddannelsesrejse til Sydtyskland hos Veit Stoss' værksted i Nurnberg.
Stoss var en berømt billedskærer og han har haft stor indflydelse på Berg ikke alene stilmæssigt, men også teknisk, at man med stor sandsynlig kan tale om et elevforhold i dennes værksted. Efter 1503 er Claus Berg draget mod nord og muligvis året efter stødt på dronning Kristine under hendes valfartsrejse til nordtyskland.
I 1508 nævnes han i dronningens hofholdningsregnskaber. Claus Berg var livet igennem ivrig katolik og måtte lide den tort, at hans søn gik over til protestantisme og senere blev biskop i Oslo.
Dronning Kirstine stod i øvrigt som gudmor til sønnen. I 1511 udførte Berg prins Frans' mindetavle og efter kong Hans' død i 1513 den store ligsten(epitafium). Begge er i dag i Odense Domkirke. Desuden udførte Berg sit hovedværk den store altertavle bestilt til Gråbrødre kirkes kor – nu i Skt. Knuds Kirke – domkirken. Ud over hovedværket udførte Claus Bergs værksted også en række andre altertavler og krucifikser. Altertavlen i Sanderum er sandsynligvis et forarbejde til den store altertavle i Odense Domkirke, Skt. Knuds Kirke.