Hofhaimer and the literary and visual arts

At the court of Maximilian, Hofhaimer associated not only with musicians, but also with important literary figures such as Conrad Celtis (» I. Odengesang), Pietro Bonomo and Joachim Vadianus. Indeed, Hofhaimer generally preferred their company to that of other musicians. Normally somewhat abrasive, he was (according to his friend Johannes Stomius) unusually cheerful and relaxed in the company of scholars and poets. However, he had never enjoyed a literary education, and sometimes felt on the back foot with his literary friends, as shown by the tone of his correspondence with Vadianus, in turns ingratiating and demanding. While several of his colleagues, such as the singer Gregor Valentinian or the composer Heinrich Finck, wrote fluent Latin, Hofhaimer’s extant letters are in a workmanlike German. However, several of his literary associates wrote Latin poems and prose pieces in his honour, which he treasured throughout his life, though it is not clear how much of them he understood. Some of these tributes were quite elaborate, such as a small red book containing a letter and poem in Hofhaimer’s honour, sent from Venice by a former student, Dionisio Memmo, along with an embroidered hat.[4]

Hofhaimer’s likeness was preserved by several artists, such as Hans Weiditz (» Abb. Kaiser Maximilians Kapelle), Lucas Cranach and Hans Burgkmair, who depicted him in one of the grand expressions of Maximilian’s “Gedechtnus”, the Triumphzug. (» Abb. Triumphzug, Regal). A poem in Hofhaimer’s honour commissioned by Fantin Memmo mentions a bronze portrait medal of Hofhaimer, which is now lost or unidentified.[5] The subject of the charcoal drawing by Dürer once thought to depict Hofhaimer probably represents a different person.[6]

At the 1515 conference between Maximilian, Sigismund of Poland and Ladislaus of Hungary and Bohemia (» D. Royal Entry), Hofhaimer was honoured by the three monarchs: Maximilian dubbed him a Knight of the Golden Spur, and the other monarchs bestowed similar honours. This occasion was marked by literary testimonials from Philipp Gundelius, Riccardo Sbruglio and Willibald Pirckheimer, and transcripts of these documents were likewise treasured by Hofhaimer.[7]