!!!Flügelaltar

Winged Altar: The late medieval style of winged altar is an expression 
of the Gothic attempt to unify architecture, sculpture and painting. 
This endeavour can be clearly seen in the architectural composition of 
the winged altar. The retable, consisting of a central painting or 
shrine with side wings is positioned above a painted or sculpted 
predella. Atop sits the richly carved crowning of the retable. Large 
winged altars often had multiple side wings allowing the altar to 
change appearance to fit the occasion (polyptych altar). Usually the 
wings were kept closed, presenting the side used for everyday mass; on 
holy days the altar was opened to display its decorated interior.

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The late Gothic period between 1470 and 1520 represented the peak of 
popularity of winged altars,. At this time there were around 200 
winged altars in Austria. The most famous winged altar in Austria is 
at St. Wolfgang and was completed in 1481 by M. Pacher. Other 
significant winged altars in Upper Austria can be found at Kefermarkt 
(around 1490), Gampern (1490-1500) and Hallstatt (1515, built in the 
workshop of L. Astl). A. Lackner (winged altar in Abtenau) as well as 
the master craftsmen of the winged altar in Hallein and in Laufen were 
active in their craft in Salzburg. In Lower Austria winged altars can 
be found in Zwettl, Poeggstall, Maria Laach, Schoenbach, Waidhofen an 
der Ybbs and Pulkau (which shows the influence of the  Danube School 
(Donauschule)). The winged altar in Mauer near Melk (Lower Austria) 
and the All Saints' Altar in Altmuenster (Upper Austria) show the 
beginnings of Renaissance style.

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The best-known winged altars in Austria's mountainous provinces, where 
the Gothic influence remained well into the late 15%%sup th/%  
century, can be found in Landeck, Wilten, Amras, Heiligenblut (1520), 
Ossiach, Maria Saal, St. Lambrecht, Groebming and Bad Aussee. In 
Vorarlberg churches in the Walgau house several winged altars

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The most significant winged altars in Vienna include the Wiener 
Neustaedter Altar (1442) in St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Znaimer 
Altar (around 1440-1450) in the Oesterreichische Galerie museum.

!Literature
M. Hasse, Der Fluegelaltar, doctoral thesis, Berlin 1941; 
M. Brandstetter, Zur Sonderstellung der niederoesterreichischen 
Fluegelaltaere, doctoral thesis, Vienna 1950; W. Paatz, Sueddt. 
Schnitzaltaere der Spaetgotik, 1963; H. K. Ramisch, Zur 
Entwicklung des gotischen Fluegelaltars, in: Gotik in Oesterreich, 
exhibition catalogue, Krems 1967; A. Fritz, Kae. Fluegelalt., 1975; H. 
Schindler, Der Schnitzaltar, 1978; T. Seywald, Spaetgot. Fluegelalt. 
in Salzburg, doctoral thesis, Innsbruck 1986.


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