Martyrdom of St Andrew after 1435

Stefan Lochner painted "Martyrdom of St Andrew" in Cologne around 1440 on a small oak panel. The image depicts the saint tied to an X-shaped cross, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. Cologne's religious and civic institutions shaped Lochner's artistic production. As a free imperial city, Cologne was a major center of trade and religious pilgrimage. The city's wealth fostered a thriving artistic environment, with numerous workshops and commissions from the church and wealthy citizens. Lochner himself served on the city council, reflecting the close ties between artists and civic power. The painting's emotional restraint and idealized figures reflect the conservative artistic tastes of Cologne, while the presence of the crowd situates the martyrdom within a specific social context. The diverse attire of the figures speaks to Cologne's cosmopolitan character as a place of trade and exchange. By consulting city archives, guild records, and religious texts, we can better understand the complex social and institutional forces that shaped both the production and reception of this devotional image.