Sermon of Saint Albertus Magnus

By Friedrich Walther, ca. 1430–95
JPG • 1096 × 1937 PX • 0.7 MB
Curatorial Notes

This painting depicts Saint Albert the Great (c. 1200–1280), a Dominican friar, bishop, and Doctor of the Church, preaching before a group of listeners. The saint points toward a vision of Christ as Judge, seated on a rainbow and accompanied by a sword and a lily, symbols of judgment and mercy. The scroll above his head and the open book on the pulpit contain a passage from the Book of Revelation (Rev 14:7): "Fear God, for the hour of his judgment has come." A particularly curious detail appears in the lower part of the painting: a child, depicted with one half of his body pale and the other pink, refers to a miracle attributed to Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order. According to tradition, the saint brought back to life the son of a Roman widow named Gutadonia in 1219. Thus, the painting combines episodes and references associated with different members of the Dominican Order, emphasizing preaching and the power of faith. The artist also included a small friar recording the sermon, reflecting the importance of study and the transmission of knowledge in Dominican tradition. Although traditionally attributed to Friedrich Walther, research published by the Metropolitan Museum considers it more likely to have been executed by another artist from his circle, in the German region of Nördlingen, between 1470 and 1490.

Artwork Identification

Title Sermon of Saint Albertus Magnus
Title (PT) Sermão de Santo Alberto Magno
Title (ES) Sermón de San Alberto Magno
Artist Friedrich Walther
Artist Bio Friedrich Walther (c. 1440–1494/1495) was a German painter and draftsman of the Late Gothic period, probably born in Dinkelsbühl. He worked in cities such as Nördlingen, Cannstatt, and Constance, maintaining professional ties with the painter Friedrich Herlin. He also produced designs for religious books printed using woodblocks. One of his principal documented works is Saint Wendelin with a Donatrix, dated 1467 and preserved in the Bern Historical Museum. His style is characterized by narrative compositions, expressive figures, and features typical of 15th-century German painting.
Date ca. 1430–95
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta