PETER VISCHER
The days were near at hand when this proud,
free city of the Empire, this trading staple of the
German world, was to win the still nobler title of
“Albert Diirer’'s and Hans Sachs’ City.” For
he merchant princes of the place, the Patricians
as they called themselves, whilst they grew in
wealth and power, waxed also in enthusiasm for
‘he sciences and arts. They strove to make their
town a German Florence, and by their lavish ex-
penditure upon the adornment of public and private
buildings, both attracted foreign genius and en-
couraged native talent. Regiomontanus on the
one hand, the great mathematician, chose Nurem-
berg for his place of residence because he found
there all the peculiar instruments necessary for
astronomy, and because the “ perpetual journey-
ings of her merchants” enabled him to keep in
touch with the learned of all countries. These
perpetual journeyings of the merchant princes and
great explorers, like Behaim, reacted also upon
the artists of the town; they contributed to give
them a wider outlook upon life, and brought within
their reach the wonderful works of Italy.
The broad culture of a Pirkheimer exercised
anundoubted influence upon the many-sided genius
of Diirer, whilst the liberal atmosphere engen-
dered by travel made the citizens of Nuremberg
ready to welcome in their midst foreign artists
like the elder Diirer, the elder Vischer and Veit
Stoss, and rendered the local artists themselves
susceptible to the excellence of foreign art. Not