Renaissance

Around 1500, the role and self-image of the artist changed fundamentally, moving the individual to centre stage. Leading artists of the time began to produce precious works for patrons and collectors. This is exemplified by Conrat Meit's celebrated statuette of Judith with the head of Holofernes. Numerous works of the Renaissance came from the Wittelsbach Kunstkammer, including virtuoso Italian sculptures and bronzes that followed the example of Antiquity. Many works were made specifically for the Bavarian rulers, including the true-to-scale models of capital cities in Bavaria, which are the oldest of their kind.