Artwork

Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor

Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor, by Michael Pacher, oil, 1471
Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor, by Michael Pacher, oil, 1471

Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor is an oil painting by the Early Renaissance artist Michael Pacher. It dates from 1471 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The panel titled Der Teufel weist dem hl.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work belongs to the genre of religious painting and is held as a devotional object within the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek.

The panel depicts the devil presenting the Book of Vices to Saint Augustine of Hippo, a moment drawn from the saint's legendary hagiography. According to tradition, Augustine, before his conversion, was tormented by a demon who catalogued his sins in a book and confronted him with the record of his transgressions, an episode that dramatizes the spiritual struggle between sin and the soul's yearning for grace.

The pairing of Augustine with a diabolical accuser visualizes the moral combat at the heart of his story: the book functions as a symbol of guilt and worldly corruption, while the saint embodies the possibility of redemption through faith. As an exterior wing of the Kirchenväteraltar, the image would have confronted viewers before the altar was opened, presenting a warning against vice and an invitation to the penitential message that the altar's interior panels elaborate.

The work belongs to the genre of religious painting and is held as a devotional object within the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek.

Technique & Style

The outer wing of the Pacher altarpiece depicting the devil presenting the Book of Vices to Saint Augustine is executed in oil paint on a wooden support. The work measures 103 cm in height and 91 cm in width, reflecting the dimensions recorded for the panel in the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The composition combines narrative clarity with richly textured surfaces, characteristic of late Gothic panel painting in southern Germany.

History & Provenance

The altarpiece was created in 1471 under the direction of Michael Pacher, who both designed and executed the work for the high altar of the Augustine Church in Sankt Peter, Salzburg. It remained in situ until the late 18th century, after which it entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and was installed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it is currently displayed. The piece is a painted wooden panel measuring 103 cm in height and 91 cm in width.

The work is held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek. It entered the collection through accession recorded as part of the museum's early holdings of Michael Pacher's output. The altarpiece has been exhibited in several shows focusing on late Gothic sculpture and painting, including a 1954 exhibition of Pacher's works at the Bavarian National Museum and a 2003 display of German Renaissance art at the Alte Pinakothek itself.

Overview

The panel titled Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor forms the outer wing of the Kirchenväteraltar, a wooden altarpiece executed in 1471. It was painted by Michael Pacher, a Tyrolean artist whose career flourished in the latter half of the fifteenth century. The work now belongs to the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

Context

The scene reflects Augustinian thought on the nature of sin and divine grace, a theme frequently illustrated in late medieval devotional art. By juxtaposing the saint with a personified catalogue of vices, Pacher aligns his work with contemporary theological debates and the didactic function of altarpieces, which aimed to instruct viewers on moral vigilance.

The delivery of the False Message by the Devil (Legend of St Cosmas and Damian)
The delivery of the False Message by the Devil (Legend of St Cosmas and Damian), Meister der Legendenszenen

Artist & collection

Artist

Michael Pacher

Michael Pacher (c. 1435 – August 1498) was a painter and sculptor from Tyrol active during the second half of the fifteenth century. He was one of the earliest artists to introduce the principles of Renaissance painting…

Reviews

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor?

Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor was painted by Michael Pacher in 1471-01-01.

Where can I see Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor?

Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor?

Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor is associated with Early Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor?

Museum-quality prints of Kirchenväteraltar, Flügelaußenseite: Der Teufel weist dem hl. Augustinus das Buch der Laster vor are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.