(Stribach near Lienz 1868–1926 St. Justina near Bolzano)
The oath of Ulrich Hutten, inscribed and later signed and dated Egger-Lienz 1889, oil on canvas, 71 x 89 cm, framed

Label on the reverse:
Schwur des Hutten

Registered in:
Wilfried Kirschl, Albin Egger-Lienz, Das Gesamtwerk vol. II, Christian Brandstätter Verlag 1996, p. 505 M 34 (there mentioned as sketch) – see M35 – there the note: Hammer’s dating “around 1895” may be regarded as obsolete on the basis of the dated sketch for the same painting (M34)

Provenance:
Dorotheum Vienna, 7 March 1927, lot 66
Private Collection, Vienna

Ulrich von Hutten was born in 1488 in Steckelberg Castle, and was a valiant imperial knight and humanist. In 1512, he travelled to Italy, via Vienna. He was critical of the Pope’s riches and the
misdeeds of the Church, which he recorded in his most well-known piece of writing, his “Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum” (Letters of Obscure Men), upon his return to Germany.
In 1519, he met the knight Franz von Sickingen, and was captivated by his idea of reforming the Church so that it would only preach the gospel, withdrawing from worldly matters.
Ultimately, his joint efforts with Franz von Sickingen were not successful.
His frequent travels led to him being dubbed the “first journalist”. Hutten’s basis for his fight against the papacy was not only rooted in theology. The chivalric way of life was in decline during his lifetime. Hutten campaigned for the creation of a permanent army to support the goals of humanism using military means. The aim was to create material provisions and provide a place for the declining chivalric class to call home.
Ulrich von Hutten died in 1523 on the island of Ufenau, on Lake Zurich.