Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/214

 202 HISTORY OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE Eueland (1501), 1 of the Tyrolese Michael Pacher and Frederic Pacher, from Bruneck, and Casper, Johann, and Jacob Eosenthaler, from the Southern Tyrol, 2 have much in common with the masters of the Lower Khine school,, although there is no trace of any personal connection between them. Among the artists of this school, Martin Schon- gauer, already mentioned, exercised the strongest and most lasting influence. He raised German art to such repute throughout Europe that his paintings and en- gravings were looked on by Italian, Spanish, and English purchasers as precious treasures. He has been compared to Eaphael's master, Perugino. The closest friendship existed between Schongauer and Perugino. They often sent their sketches to each other, and any art connoisseur will at once see that they have borrowed much from each other. Schongauer's studio in Colmar was the actual ' high school ' of painting in Germany, particularly for the Suabian artists, who, in fine taste and spiritual depth, were worthy competitors with all the other German schools. It was here that Bartholomaus Zeitbloom, of Ulm, for the noble simplicity, truth, and purity of his work fitly called ' the most German of all painters/ received his training. Here, too, worked Hans Burgk- mayer, of Augsburg, who won a high reputation by his treatment of both religious and profane subjects, and who was the earliest of the South Germans to introduce landscape backgrounds. Hans Holbein the 1 He belonged to a guild of Viennese artists who were already active in Vienna at the beginning of the fifteenth century. 2 I agree with the opinion of Bohrner in this matter. Pacher gained his reputation from the altar in the Austrian church of St. Wolfgang.