Important examples of thirteenth-century stained glass produced during the reign of the Staufer dynasty of German kings (1138 to 1254) are on show in the Die Staufer und Italien exhibition at the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen in Mannheim (southwest Germany) until 20 February 2011.
Dr Uwe Gast of the CVMA (Freiburg) writes:
The exhibition includes seven stained glass exhibits. They include two ornamental panels from the former Benedictine abbey at Lorsch, c.1260–5 and 1250–1300; a heraldic panel with an eagle on a red ground, normally identified as the coat of arms of the Frankfurt mayor Ludolf from Praunheim-Sachsenhausen (c.1230–5), but more likely to be the coat of arms of count Gottfried of Arnsberg in Westphalia (died 1279) [Fig. 1]; and a roundel depicting the Flight into Egypt, perhaps from the church of the Benedictine abbey Neuweiler (Alsace), c.1260–70. [Fig. 2] The latter is stylistically connected with two other panels in the exhibition from the former collegiate church of St Peter in Wimpfen, c.1270–80. One shows the crucifixion of the apostle Peter; the other, very delightful, shows Mary and the little boy Jesus (with a book and a slate in his hands), who does not want to go to school. The final item is a fragment of an ornamental border of an unknown panel.
All the glass is described in greater detail in the excellent accompanying catalogue, published as a two-volume set with the second book consisting of essays. Catalogue and Essays: Die Staufer und Italien, has around 800 pages with approx. 1,000 (mostly colour) illustrations. Until 31 March 2011 there is a special introductory price of €59.90 [D]/SFR 96.90, thereafter the cost rises to €69.90 [D]/SFR 115.00. Copies can be ordered from the exhibition website
