Gabriel Angler (1405-1460)

Alte Pinakothek

German painter. After completing his training in Munich, he began his travels; documents show that he was in Nördlingen in 1429. Shortly after 1431 he returned to Munich, where he received an important commission for the choir altar of the city's Frauenkirche (completed fall 1437; no longer exists). 1433 he was in Venice to purchase painting materials. Around 1440 he completed the Calvary (Lettner crucifixion) for the Benedictine monastery church on Tegernsee. 1444/45 he worked in the same church on the great choir altar, the "tabula magna", which was for many years named after the artist; the individual parts have been scattered. Due to eye problems he turned over the supervision of his studio to his son, most likely in the mid-1450's. 1460 and 1462 he was named head of the painters' guild. He died in Munich presumably in 1462. Angler was one of the most important South German painters of the first half of the 15th century. He developed a very unconventional style that partly incorporated compelling realism.