From Naumburg to Burgos. European Sculpture and Dynastic Politics in the Thirteenth Century

A new perspective on European Gothic sculpture challenges the traditional view that its development was solely driven by French cathedral workshops. Instead, research shows that sculptures in Burgos Cathedral, erected in the 1260s, share closer parallels with German works from Naumburg and Meissen. These connections suggest a significant influence of German sculptors during a period of cultural exchange between Germany and Castile, particularly under the reign of Alfonso X the Learned. The study identifies specific sculptural details linking Burgos to Magdeburgian origins, with the Holy Sepulchre sculptures of Constance Cathedral serving as the missing link. This finding sheds light on the complex interplay of dynastic politics and artistic tradition in medieval Europe.

Karge, H. (2012). From Naumburg to Burgos. European Sculpture and Dynastic Politics in the Thirteenth Century. Hispanic Research Journal, 13(5), 434–448. https://doi.org/10.1179/1468273712z.00000000027