For decades, customers shopping at the Edeka Wist grocery store had no idea that treasures lay hidden not on the shelves, but above their heads. The historic Wist House on Sande closed its doors as a supermarket at the end of January, but the building itself is steeped in centuries of history. During recent renovation work, construction crews uncovered remarkable ceiling paintings dating back to 1563, located directly above where snacks and wine were once displayed on store shelves.
The discovery has proven to be exceptional even by Lüneburg's rich historical standards, according to restorer Markus Tillwick. Working alongside his wife Inga Blohm and intern Luzie Pöpping, Tillwick has spent approximately two and a half weeks cleaning, securing, and restoring the paintings. The artwork was created in 1563 by an as-yet-unidentified artist whose monogram "AK" appears on the work. The fact that a ceiling painting is both dated and bears an artist's monogram is extremely rare, Tillwick explained.
The intricate gray-on-gray paintings are set against a red background and feature elaborate depictions of cardinal and Christian virtues displayed in medallions. The virtues include Fortitudo (strength), Patientia (patience), Temperantia (moderation), Justitia (justice), Charitas (Christian charity), Spes (hope), and Fides (faith), along with what appears to be a seventh medallion likely representing Prudentia. Additional medallions depicting the four seasons were added somewhat later. The date and monogram can be found specifically in the Charitas medallion.
The Wist House itself was constructed between 1521 and 1527 by wealthy citizens including merchants and brewers, as evidenced by the high-quality construction methods used. In 1562, a courtyard wing was added to the structure. Once the exterior construction was completed, the interior walls and ceilings were painted, which was a common practice in such prestigious buildings of the era. While many paintings have been discovered and restored throughout Lüneburg over the years, only the ceiling painting remains preserved in the Wist House today. The room, which stands approximately 4.2 meters high, served as a multi-functional space that was also used for receptions.
The survival of these paintings through the centuries can be considered a fortunate twist of history. In 1749, Lüneburg's city architect Johann Philipp Häseler presented facade drawings with plans to combine the Wist House and the adjacent building into a single, flatter structure without gables. Although these plans were never implemented, they provided detailed documentation of the rooms and their dimensions from that period, which has proven helpful during the current restoration work, according to Tillwick.
The ceiling paintings weren't entirely unknown to recent generations. During a store expansion by the Petersen family, who owned the Wist business, the paintings were rediscovered in 1978. At that time, they were documented with three blurry photographs. The building inspection office issued a notice on October 16, 1978, establishing a preservation order for the paintings and requiring the installation of a suspended ceiling on the ground floor to protect the ceiling paintings from potential damage.
"I naturally knew about the paintings," said Ernst-Joachim Petersen, who led the Wist business through its final years as the third generation of his family to run the 105-year-old establishment. Petersen is funding the restoration with generous support from the ALA (Working Group for Lüneburg's Old Town), with the project expected to be completed in early November. "We hope to have made a valuable contribution to the research and preservation of ceiling paintings through this effort," Tillwick wrote, expressing gratitude to both Petersen and Doreen Braun from Lüneburg's heritage preservation office for their excellent and collegial cooperation.
Both Tillwick and Petersen are pleased that an agreement has been reached with the new tenant of the former supermarket space – an arrangement that is far from guaranteed in such situations. The paintings will not be covered up again, meaning customers of the incoming Junge bakery will be able to enjoy their cake and coffee while gazing up at historically significant ceiling art. While no opening date has been set, interior construction is expected to continue from November onward, giving the public access to view this remarkable 460-year-old artistic treasure.
