Patricians seek prestigious splendor From the last decades of the 15th century on, the patricians of Cologne felt an increased need to express their status and therefore developed a lively activity as benefactors. Many of them ordered large winged altarpieces, the wealthiest financed entire chapels or parts of church furnishings. Therefore, by the end of the 18th century, in "Cologne were more medieval works of art than anywhere else in the world."Hiltrud Kier, Frank Günter Zehnder: Lust und Verlust, Kölner Sammler zwischen Trikolore und Preußenadler, Cologne 1995, p. 13.
Patricians seek prestigious splendor From the last decades of the 15th century on, the patricians of Cologne felt an increased need to express their status and therefore developed a lively activity as bene.factors. Many of them ordered large winged altarpieces, the wealthiest financed entire chapels or parts of church furnishings Therefore, by the end of the 18th century, in "Cologne were more medieval works of art than anywhere else in the world."Hiltrud Kier Frank Günter Zehnder: Lust und Verlust, Kölner Samml,er zwischen Trikolore u.nd Preußenadler, Cologne 1995, p 13.