around 1400/1410 -1451 · Cologne and international Gothic

Bright gold, precious colors and expressive softness make Stefan Lochner the emblematic master of 15th century Colonial painting.

Stefan Lochner was probably born around 1400 or 1410 in the Lake Constance region and died in Cologne in 1451. His presence in the city was documented from 1442, when he participated in the decorations organized for the arrival of Emperor Frederick III. He became a citizen and advisor to the painters' guild, a sign of remarkable social success, before dying during a plague epidemic. No preserved paintings are signed; his work was reconstructed around the famous altarpiece of the patron saints of Cologne, a sign of remarkable social success, before dying during a plague epidemic. No preserved paintings are signed; his work was reconstructed around the famous altarpiece of the patron saints of Cologne, compared in the 19th century to the "master Stefan" mentioned by Albrecht Dürer. Lochner combines the graceful tradition of Cologne with the naturalist innovations of the Netherlands. In The Virgin with the Rose Bush, the gold background, the flowers, the musical angels and the jewelry form a miniature paradise where every detail has a theological significance. Its fabrics, skin tones and architecture bear witness to a precise observation of materials, while the color and patterns maintain the decorative splendor of international Gothic. The Annunciation, the Presentation in the Temple and the Crucifixion show its ability to move from silent intimacy to monumental narration. Under the apparent softness of his figures, Lochner constructs very scholarly images where geometry, symbol and realism respond to each other. The "Stefan Lochner" selection notably compares La Virgin with the Rose Bush and The Annunciation. His reading favors movement.

In Lochner, grace never erases thought: behind the gold, the flowers and the serene faces unfolds a theological architecture of extreme precision.