Master Francke

He is called "Fratre Francone Zutphanico" ("Brother Frank of Zutphen") in one document. He may have trained as an illuminator and painter in France or the Netherlands, and later worked in Münster, before joining in St John's Priory in Hamburg by 1424 at the latest.

The recorded working language is German. The field of work recorded is visual arts, painting and altar. Places of work recorded in the authority are Hamburg. Works named in the authority record are Man of Sorrows and Saint Barbara Altarpiece. Work by Master Francke is recorded in the collections of National Museum of Finland, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Museum der bildenden Künste and National Museum in Warsaw.

Two main altarpieces attributed to him survive, dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury and Saint Barbara, in an unusually intense style, showing awareness of French and Early Netherlandish court art. He probably arrived in Hamburg after the death in 1415 of the previous leading artist there, Master Bertram, and shows little or no influence from him, but he may have been influenced by the more courtly style of Conrad von Soest, about ten years older than Francke, who worked to the south in Westphalia. The Hamburg association of traders to England commissioned an altarpiece from "Mester Francke[nn]" in 1424; the contract does not survive, but is mentioned in their memorial book. This is probably the "St Thomas (of Canterbury) Altarpiece", completed in 1436, of which parts survive in the Kunsthalle, Hamburg. The rather earlier St Barbara Altarpiece may have been commissioned for Finland, where it surfaced a century ago. The "Thomas Altar" has eight surviving scenes, but is missing its main panel and several others. The "Barbara Altar" has also eight scenes, on both sides of the wings to a carved wood central panel by another artist. At least two other panels are in museum collections. Francke was almost entirely forgotten after the Renaissance until the end of the 19th century when, like Master Bertram, he was rediscovered and published by Alfred Lichtwart, Director of the Hamburg Kunsthalle.

• Illustration — Martyrdom of St Barbara from the Saint Barbara Altarpiece, now in Helsinki, (before 1424) • Illustration — Resurrection of Jesus (ca. 1424) • Illustration — Adoration of the Child, 1426, Kunsthalle Hamburg • Illustration — Adoration of the Magi, 1426, Kunsthalle Hamburg • Illustration — The Mocking of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, 1426, Kunsthalle Hamburg • Illustration — The Martyrdom of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, 1426, Kunsthalle Hamburg • Illustration — Entombment of Christ, 1430, Kunsthalle Hamburg • Illustration — Resurrection of Christ, 1430, Kunsthalle Hamburg • Illustration — Schmerzensmann (ca. 1430), Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig • Illustration — The Women at the Cross (fragment), 1435, Kunsthalle Hamburg

Institutional cataloguing adds that master Francke is recorded with the occupation painter. Institutional cataloguing adds that master Francke is recorded as a citizen of Germany. It is also recorded that master Francke is recorded with the gender male. Born on 1 January 1380. Francke died on 1 January 1435. Francke worked at Hamburg.