772 - F. HOHE (*1802) after HESS (*1798), The Departure of Saint Boniface, 1843, lithograph

F. HOHE (*1802) after HESS (*1798), The Departure of Saint Boniface, 1843, lithograph Friedrich Hohe (1802 Bayreuth – 1870 Munich) after Heinrich Maria von Hess (1798 – 1863): St. Boniface bids farewell to his monastery in England, 1843, lithograph Technique: Lithograph on paper Stamp: At the bottom, a blank stamp reading “Kunstverein in München.” Inscription: At the bottom, signed on the printing plate: “Drawn on stone by Fr. Hohe / Printed by J. B. Kuhn.” At the bottom, inscribed on the printing plate: “St. Boniface’s Farewell to His Monastery in England. / The Kunstverein in Munich presents this to its members for the year MDCCCXLIII. | Second image from the series of murals depicting the life of St. Boniface in the Basilica in Munich.". Date: 1843 Description: When King Ludwig I of Bavaria expanded his capital city of Munich at the beginning of the 19th century, the art-loving ruler had to consider not only the aesthetic design of the sprawling city but also religious needs, which were in line with the prevailing zeitgeist of combining art and religion, as exemplified by Nazarene art. Starting in 1828, plans were made to build the Benedictine Abbey of St. Boniface in Maxvorstadt. The monastery church was also to serve as a parish church for the newly developed and increasingly populated district. The basilica form had already been specified in the earliest designs, and the king suggested that the architects model their work on the basilica-style churches of Rome and Ravenna, not least “[...] because of the wall decorations above the columns.” (Letter dated May 14, 1829, St. Boniface Abbey Archive, Munich). The interior design was entrusted to Heinrich Hess, who had been a member of Ludwig’s circle of visual artists even before the crown prince’s coronation and had been a professor at the Munich Academy since 1826. He had already become acquainted with Italian architecture and its figural paintings during a study abroad fellowship. In Munich, he was commissioned to paint the new Allerheiligen-Hofkirche beginning in the 1830s, creating a beautiful cycle of frescoes in a Byzantine-inspired style, before beginning the historical cycle depicting St. Boniface in the Church of St. Boniface in 1837. This lithograph depicts a scene from the fresco cycle in which the young cleric is seen on the deck of a small ship off the south coast of England, bidding farewell to his homeland. As a Benedictine monk, he had set himself the task of spreading the word of God among the unbaptized peoples of the continent and is therefore particularly known for his intensive missionary work among the Frisians and Franks. He is likely depicted here at the time of his departure on his first missionary journey in 716, as indicated by his simple Anglo-Saxon attire. He undertook his later journeys—during which he succeeded in evangelizing the Frankish kingdom and founding numerous monasteries—in his capacity as abbot of a monastery in Nursling. In this depiction based on Hess’s work, Boniface’s humble gaze reflects the young monk’s willingness to sacrifice himself in his God-pleasing endeavors. The saint’s charisma—which likely characterizes a successful missionary—is evident in the admiring glances of his fellow travelers and the departing monks. As depicted in the clerestory of the Munich basilica and in this large-format lithograph, the inspiring impact of the missionary unfolds as he receives his abbot’s blessing before setting out on his journey. Keywords: King Ludwig I of Bavaria; Munich; Religious needs; Nazar art; Connection between art and religion; Benedictine Abbey of St. Boniface; Cloister church; Basilica; Heinrich Hess; Allerheiligen Court Church; Historical cycle; Saint Boniface; Anglo-Saxons; Missionary activity; Frisians; Franconia; Departure on the first missionary journey; Monastic attire; Abbot of the monastery in Nursling; Humble demeanor; Willingness to sacrifice; Travelers; Monks; Blessing; Lithograph; Obergaden; Munich; 19th century; Romanticism; Religious; United Kingdom; Size: Paper: 49.0 cm x 65.7 cm (19.3 x 25.9 in), Image: 38.2 cm x 60.2 cm (15 x 23.7 in) Condition: Very good condition. Slight foxing in the margins.