Saxony, a fertile upland, lies at the very heart of the European continent; its main river, the Elbe, is eastern Europe's most direct trade route to the Atlantic Ocean. During the Middle Ages, rich deposits of silver, tin, copper, iron, and semi- precious gems were discovered in Saxony's mountainous south; with these mineral resources, Saxony developed into an early center of craftsmanship and light industry. The Saxon monarchs took great pride in their title of "elector," as only seven Germanic rulers held the privilege of electing the Holy Roman Emperor.

Dresden came to prominence relatively late in Saxon history -- not until 1485 did the electors make this city their principal residence. Dresden's most glorious period, both in art collecting and in architectural innovation, occurred from 1697 to 1763, when two electors of Saxony also served as kings of Poland, controlling one of Europe's largest empires. The last monarch abdicated in 1918, and Saxony joined the modern German nation. Although the city suffered heavily from the bombardment of February 13, 1945, the art treasures, having been safely concealed, survive to establish the importance of Dresden as a cultural center.

A crucifixion by Albrecht Durer, ca 1498

This work contains illustrations by the renowned artist, Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). The book includes three woodcut series: the Life of the Virgin Mary, the Passion of Jesus Christ, and the Apocalypse. The woodcuts were first gathered in one volume and printed with the Latin verses of Benedict Chelidonius in 1511. This example owes its special charm to the colorful floral border and its illumination probably done in Dürer's workshop.

Maximilian's (1459-1519) Theuerdank, is one of several planned literary works to be published during his lifetime. No other book of the time compares with it in typographic and artistic workmanship. Written with the assistance of the court poet, Melchior Pfinzing, in the tradition of the heroic epics, this poem describes the courtship of young Maximilian (Theuerdank) and Maria, heiress of the Kingdom of Burgundy. It is one of the earliest books written in Fraktur, a German text style, and is enhanced with woodcuts of everyday life by Hans Burgkmair, Hans Schäufelein, and Leonhard Beck.

Elector Frederick the Wise

The Elector Frederick the Wise (1463-1525) played an important role in the Reformation and in the life of Martin Luther. A man of profound religious beliefs and broad education, his court was a vital center of humanistic studies, the arts and music. In 1502 he founded the University of Wittenberg, where Luther became a professor in 1512. When Luther's actions ignited the Reformation, the Elector granted him protection. In 1521, for example, he provided Luther safe conduct to the Imperial Diet in Worms and then asylum in Wartburg.

At the close of the eighteenth century, the Romantic movement influenced all areas of intellectual life in Germany. It formed a counter-movement to the rationalism of the Enlightenment and expressed displeasure with the times. Nation, religion, and history occupied people's attention. Modern historical and literary scholarship, Germanistics, and the study of legal history flourished, along with painting, poetry, and music.

One of the centers of the Romantic movement was Dresden. Attracted by the Baroque beauty of the city with its splendid collections, its charming surroundings, and the stimulating intellectual and cultural atmosphere, poets like the Schlegel brothers, Ludwig Tieck, Novalis (who founded the Romantic School of poetry in 1798), Heinrich von Kleist, composer Carl Maria von Weber, and the philosophers Friedrich Wilhelm Schelling and Arthur Schopenhauer made Dresden their home. Such important artists as Caspar David Friedrich and Adrian Ludwig Richter also made Dresden a center of the Romantic school of painting.