With the brush of an artist, he fought for a new understanding of the teachings of Christ. The meaning of his nickname - Green, art critics still cannot decipher.
The European Reformation became not only a period of a number of armed conflicts, but also an era of extraordinary artists. The Renaissance had already come into its own and the imitation of antiquity was in vogue. New forms and plots quickly took root and began to embody the usual values. The rebellion against the policy of Rome could not but be reflected in art. Hans Baldung also contributed to the formation of a new European style of painting.
early years
Hans was born in the early 1480s. in the old town of Schwäbisch Gmünd in the alpine foothills. His father Johan did not belong to the nobility, however, he held a high status in society - he was a lawyer. The family was large, all of its members won the respect of their fellow countrymen with their scholarship and hard work. Even before the birth of the future artist, the Baldungs were respected with the family coat of arms, it depicted a unicorn on a red shield.
Just after the replenishment in the family, Johan was invited to Strasbourg, and he immediately went there. In a new place, the post of procurator of the episcopal court awaited him. The official brought up his heirs - the elder Kaspar and the younger Hans - in the spirit of the times. He did not limit their circle of acquaintances and did not censor the topics of conversation. In the circle of friends of the parent, they met with revolutionary ideas already wandering around Germany.
Youth
Old Baldung hoped that his offspring would inherit his place as well. Only the elder decided to continue the work of the dynasty. He will become a lawyer in the court of Strasbourg and the pride of his family. Hans, in his teens, delighted loved ones with a love of painting. In 1498 he begs his father to send him to study with the famous painter Schongauer in his hometown. Johan could not forbid his son to study, he was even glad of the success of his child when he painted a picture for the Lichtentaler monastery. The sister of the young painter spent her days in this monastery; he has the necessary education, experience and, most importantly, a unique style.
A thunderstorm erupted in 1503 when Hans announced that he would devote his life to creativity and not to serve in the magistrate. Only the father blessed his son's venture and took him to Nuremberg. This was not an escape - the young man was eager to meet the already legendary Albrecht Durer. Our hero prepared for the meeting with the idol - he took his works and sketches. When the master saw them, he immediately invited the guy to be his disciple.
A life dedicated to art
The genius of German engraving considered Baldung to be his equal. The novice soon became the master's right hand, in addition to performing complex works, Dürer allowed him to make author's drawings and sketches. With gratitude recalling his native land and carefree childhood, our hero made stained glass windows for churches in Schwäbisch Gmünd and Strasbourg. Sometimes the mentor started talking about the fact that his student could begin to make a career as an artist on his own by founding his own workshop.
In 1509 Hans returned to his native Strasbourg. Parents are not waiting for him alone - a bride has already been prepared for his son - the daughter of a wealthy merchant, Margaret Gerlin. The girl was delighted with the profession of the future spouse, therefore, after the wedding, she invested all her dowry in her husband's business. Young Baldung opened a workshop in Strasbourg. Already in 1512 he accepted an invitation from Freiburg to decorate the altar of the local cathedral, and together with his wife went there for 5 years. Art critics find that the depiction of women in his canvases is far from ideal, but painted with great love. Perhaps his faithful and beloved wife served as a model for him.
Religious Wars
Many of Baldung's creations caused controversy in society. He portrayed a number of ancient heroes as uniform murderers. The allusion to the condemnation of the Pope was clear to everyone. The Baldung saints too closely resembled ordinary German bourgeois, he carefully painted landscapes, not embellishing reality. When public debate reached its climax, and in 1517 Martin Luther openly opposed the Catholic Church, the famous artist joined the rebels.
Returning from Freiburg, the freethinker managed to get a job as court painter of the Strasbourg bishop. The Holy Father was ready to forgive courageous statements to brilliant persons. The victory of the Reformation in the city put an end to this unusual friendship - an official Catholic lost the funds to pay for the painter's labor. In his biography, Hans could have appeared a dark period of lack of orders and income, but his art conquered Germany, and his paintings were bought by wealthy citizens and city magistrates to decorate public institutions.
From 1509 Hans signed his works with the nickname Green. A number of historians claim that it is translated as "green". So the people called the artist, who too often placed his characters on the lawns, while it would be more appropriate to place them in palaces. According to another version, this word is jargon and means "mocker". In the works of Baldung, one can see a satire on government officials and Roman religious dignitaries.
last years of life
Baldung visited Breisgau, Alsace and Switzerland. He took on a wide variety of subjects: biblical, everyday, allegorical. Over the years, gloomy tones began to prevail in the work of our hero. Increasingly, he depicted two figures: a beautiful maiden and a skeleton, symbolizing death. If in the art of that era, such couples meant a reminder of a mournful end, then Hans attached a different meaning to them - he painted the inevitability of aging and fading. The talented painter died in 1545. Being happy in his personal life, he bequeathed all his fortune to his wife Margaret. The Baldung couple had no children.
