Rudolf von Scherenberg

Rudolf II von Scherenberg (c. 1401 – 1495) was Bishop of Würzburg from 1466 until his death.

Rudolf von Scherenberg was the son of Erhard von Scherenberg and Anna von Maßbach. On April 30, 1466 he was appointed as bishop to replace Johann von Grumbach. He was confirmed as bishop on June 20, 1466. The Scherenberg Gate at the Fortress Marienberg is the entrance to the main courtyard.

Tomb

Prince-Bishop von Scherenberg is best known because of his grave in the Würzburg cathedral (St. Kilian’s). Upon his death in 1495, his successor, Lorenz von Bibra commissioned Tilman Riemenschneider to make his grave. Lorenz von Bibra also commissioned Riemenschneider to do his own tomb a few yards away from Scherenberg’s during Lorenz’ life. Today, the two gravestones stand side by side, same stone and motif, but in two different styles, late gothic and renaissance. One way to illustrate the change of styles is to observe the faces of the two prince-bishops. Scherenberg’s face shows every wrinkle and Lorenz’ face is idealized. After Riemenschneider passed away and was for the most part forgotten, these two tombs remained his best-known works. Riemenscheider was later rediscovered by the Germans and more recently by the rest of the world.

References

*JULIEN CHAPUIS, "Tilman Riemenschneider: Master Sculptor of the Late Middle Ages", National Gallery London Publications, October 11, 1999, ISBN-10: 0300081626 ISBN-13: 978-0300081626;
*ALFRED WENDEHORST, "Das Bistum Würzburg: Teil 3. Die Bischofsreihe von 1455 -1617", 1978, ISBN 3-11-007475-3, pp. 20-51;