Claim profile
1400–1499

The 15th century

Whose working lives fell in the 15th century. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 15th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇮🇹 Italy🇹🇷 Turkey🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇪🇸 Spain🇯🇵 Japan🇸🇪 Sweden🇵🇹 Portugal🇨🇭 Switzerland
FieldAllHistorical FiguresPoliticiansWritersArtistsReligious FiguresAcademicsModelsMusiciansArchitectsScientists
  1. 1Hans MemlingHans Memling1435–1494 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists19 decades
  2. 2Martin SchongauerMartin Schongauer1440–1491 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists21 decades
  3. 3Veit StossVeit Stoss1447–1533 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists21 decades
  4. 4SLStefan Lochner1410–1451 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists9 decades
  5. 5Michael WolgemutMichael Wolgemut1434–1519 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists14 decades
  6. 6Bernt NotkeBernt Notke1440–1509 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists10 decades
  7. 7Adam KraftAdam Kraft1450–1509 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists22 decades
  8. 8Anton CobergerAnton Coberger1440–1513 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists16 decades
  9. 9Master E. S.Master E. S.1420–1467 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists17 decades
  10. 10Bernhard StrigelBernhard Strigel1460–1528 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists13 decades
  11. 11Hans MultscherHans Multscher1400–1467 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists12 decades
  12. 12Master FranckeMaster Francke1380–1435 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists12 decades
  13. 13Hans PleydenwurffHans Pleydenwurff1420–1472 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists11 decades
  14. 14Peter Vischer the ElderPeter Vischer the Elder1455–1529 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  15. 15Michel ErhartMichel Erhart1440–1600 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists8 decades
  16. 16GDGiovanni d'Alemagnadied 1450 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  17. 17Erhard RatdoltErhard Ratdolt1447–1528 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists14 decades
  18. 18Lucas MoserLucas Moser1390–1443 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists9 decades
  19. 19Erasmus GrasserErasmus Grasser1450–1518 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists10 decades
  20. 20HRHermen Rode1430–1504 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists1 decades
  21. 21Derick BaegertDerick Baegert1440–1515 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists5 decades
  22. 22Master of Saint VeronicaMaster of Saint Veronica1385–1420 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  23. 23Friedrich HerlinFriedrich Herlin1435–1500 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists11 decades
  24. 24Caspar IsenmannCaspar Isenmann1410–1472 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  25. 25Hans HirtzHans Hirtz1410–1466 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists2 decades
  26. 26Marx ReichlichMarx Reichlich1460–1520 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  27. 27Nikolaus HagenauerNikolaus Hagenauer1445–1538 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists4 decades
  28. 28Ulrich Apt the ElderUlrich Apt the Elder1460–1532 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists1 decades
  29. 29Berthold FurtmeyrBerthold Furtmeyr1446–1600 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists2 decades
  30. 30Beato Giacomo da UlmaBeato Giacomo da Ulma1407–1491 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  31. 31Johann KoerbeckeJohann Koerbecke1410–1491 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  32. 32Hans BornemannHans Bornemann1420–1474 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists2 decades
  33. 33Rueland Frueauf the ElderRueland Frueauf the Elder1440–1507 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  34. 34Gabriel MälesskircherGabriel Mälesskircher1430–1495 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  35. 35GGGeorg Glockendon1450–1514 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists1 decades
  36. 36Ludwig SchongauerLudwig Schongauer1440–1494 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  37. 37Wolfgang Katzheimer the ElderWolfgang Katzheimer the Elder1450–1508 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artistsnot measured—
  38. 38Thoman BurgkmairThoman Burgkmair1444–1523 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists1 decades
  39. 39Master of the Darmstadt PassionMaster of the Darmstadt Passionborn 1450 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists2 decades
  40. 40Hans SchüchlinHans Schüchlin1440–1505 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists1 decades
  41. 41Master of the Ortenberg AltarpieceMaster of the Ortenberg Altarpiece1405–1450 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  42. 42Wilm DedekeWilm Dedeke1460–1528 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  43. 43Absolon StummeAbsolon Stumme1450–1510 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.