Das Fragment ist der einzige Überrest von vier Teppichen, die die Nürnberger Familie Starck in Flandern in Auftrag gab. Der Ruhm flämischer Tapisserien führte dazu, repräsentative Stiftungen nicht mehr in Nürnberg fertigen zu lassen. Die Gruppe war Teil einer großformatigen Kreuzigung. Eine frühere Restaurierung ergänzte die verbliebene Bordüre zum Rahmen. Die Behänge schmückten an Festtagen den Chor von St. Sebald.

Feast-Day Hanging from St. Sebald’s in Nuremberg

Southern Netherlands, ca. 1510; tapestry, wool and silk with metal threads, 250 x 197 cm. Inv.no. Gew 4968

This lower left-hand corner section is the only surviving piece from a tapestry representing the Crucifixion of Christ. It depicts the mourning group around the Virgin and St. John, near The Cross. The ermine-lined gown, the crown and scepter, and the inscription of his name identify King David. Standing between two columns, he points with word und gesture to the Crucified. The fragment originally possessed borders only on its left-hand and lower edges, which were only later extended to form a full integral frame. Together with three further hangings now lost, this tapestry formed a four-part series of scenes from the Life of Christ, which would be hung in the choir of the church on important feast days. It was only several years before the beginning of the Reformation that these tapestries made their way into St. Sebald’s, donated by the Nuremberg merchant family Starck. The foreign origin of the hangings is in full keeping with the high estimation of Netherlandish tapestries that developed among private and public patrons in the late 15th century. Before the works were produced, motifs, size, and quality of the tapestries were agreed upon with the patron. In terms of value, Netherlandish tapestries – whose pictorial compositions were esteemed as much as the masterful transformation into woven textiles, were placed appreciably above local Frankish productions. (Text from Treasures of German art and history)