Wörther Altar

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The Wörther Altar, a cross altar, is a late medieval triptych, which today is set up in the Roman Catholic parish church of St. Nicholas in Wörth am Main.

History

The altar was created under the reign of Count Philip I (the Younger) (1449–1500) of Hanau-Münzenberg either for the Maria Magdalena Church in Hanau or for the St. Martin's Chapel in the Hanau Castle and donated for his parents.

By order of Count Philipp Ludwig II. (1576–1612) was established in the county of Hanau-Münzenberg at the end of the 16th century. In the 19th century, a second Calvinist Reformation was carried out. The medieval equipment was also cleared from the Marienkirche, but – at least partially – not destroyed, but sold to the Roman Catholic “foreign”. On this path not only the Wörth Altar was preserved, but also a Radiation Madonna in the Roman Catholic parish church of St. Johann Baptist in Hanau-Steinheim, which at that time belonged to Kurmainz, in whose diocese Wörth was also located, and from which it was a fief to the lords of Breuberg.

How the altar reached Wörth is completely unclear. He has been there since the 17th. This is the inventory of the former parish church of St. Wolfgang. Only Fried Lübbecke identified the altar again as a piece of Hanauer art history.

Presentation

Outside

The altar is a classic wing altar. The panels on the outside show Anna Selbdritt, that is, Mary on the left with the child and Anna, Mary’s mother on the right.

Medium image

The middle image shows the crucifixion of Jesus in the midst of a turbulent scene. To the left and right of Jesus are the two crucified thiefs. At the foot of the cross there are two groups of people and a rider: three people on the left represent Mary Magdalene, Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the disciple John. The middle group takes three soldiers who - quite tangibly - fight over the clothes of Jesus. To the right is a knight in full armor on a mold: the Roman captain Longinus who oversees the crucifixion. There are indications that the founder of the altar, Count Philip I (the Younger) of Hanau-Münzenberg, is represented here. Out of middle ground, a soldier stabbed Christ aside. Above the rider are men dressed in fine clothes, including Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathia.

Wings

Presentation of legends
The pictures on the inside of the altar show two legends around the Holy Cross: on the left the discovery of the cross by Empress Helena, on the right the entry of the Emperor Heracleus (about 575–641) into Jerusalem. Specifically:
Empress Helena, who was looking for the cross, after blackmailing the site of the only one who knew her, forces two Jews to dig up the cross. Three crosses are found.
Bottom left: To determine which of the three crosses is the right one, a Leic is