Veit Stoss (known in Polish as Wit Stwosz) was born around 1447 in Horb, in what is now southwestern Germany. Trained in the artistic centers of the Holy Roman Empire, he likely worked in Vienna before settling in Kraków in the 1470s, at a time when the city was one of the leading cultural capitals of Central Europe. Under the patronage of the Polish crown and the wealthy burgher class, Kraków flourished as a hub of Gothic and early Renaissance art—and Stoss arrived at the right moment to shape its legacy.

In 1477, Stoss received a commission that would consume over a decade of his life and immortalize his name: the main altarpiece of St. Mary’s Basilica. The project was as ambitious as it was sacred—a monumental polyptych carved from limewood, soaring nearly 13 meters high and 11 meters wide when opened. It would become not only the largest Gothic altarpiece in Europe, but one of the most emotionally powerful works of sacred art the continent had ever seen.

Stoss’s altarpiece, completed in 1489, is not merely an ornamental backdrop to worship—it is a theater of devotion, carved in wood and painted with a reverence for both faith and human form. At its center is the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, depicted not as a distant symbol, but as a deeply moving scene of sorrow, intimacy, and divine grace. Around her, the apostles gather in raw, expressive poses. Their faces, hands, and garments ripple with tension and tenderness, rendered with a realism that bridges the medieval and modern worlds.

Each panel of the altarpiece tells a story from Mary’s life, unfolding like a sacred narrative across multiple scenes. What astonishes viewers is not only the technical brilliance—how Stoss manipulates space, depth, and drama—but also his emotional range. His figures are not static saints but deeply human beings, caught in the sublime weight of biblical history.

This work was not merely a religious statement. It was a reflection of Kraków’s civic pride, artistic ambition, and cosmopolitan outlook. Through it, Stoss helped elevate Polish Gothic art to a level that rivaled the finest workshops of Paris or Florence.

Despite his monumental success in Kraków, Stoss eventually returned to Nuremberg in the mid-1490s. There, however, he faced legal and personal troubles. He was imprisoned for forging a seal—a crime that nearly ended his career. Only the intervention of powerful allies saved him from disgrace. Despite this dark chapter, he continued to produce remarkable works, including altars, tombs, and engravings, influencing German art for decades.

But his most enduring legacy remained in Kraków. The altarpiece at St. Mary’s Basilica survived wars, fires, and even theft. During World War II, it was looted by the Nazis and taken to Nuremberg. Miraculously, it was recovered after the war and returned to Poland, a triumphant act of cultural restoration. Today, it remains not only a centerpiece of Polish heritage but a living monument to cross-cultural artistic exchange.

Veit Stoss was not Polish by birth, but he became Kraków’s through creation. His vision carved more than wood—it carved a place for Poland within the great narrative of European art. Through his altarpiece, he gave the people of Kraków not only a masterpiece of craftsmanship, but a sacred story they could see, touch, and cherish for centuries.

To step into St. Mary’s and gaze upon his work is to be drawn into that same story—one of beauty born from faith, skill, and the unshakable conviction that art can bring the divine closer to earth. In the legacy of Veit Stoss, Kraków gained more than a monument—it gained a soul carved in wood.