South German or Alpenländisch, circa 1490

Carpentier von Ehrenwall collection, Berlin
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner, 1973

 

A technical analysis of the conservation of the panels was prepared by Ulf Palitza, Dipl.-Restaurator, Berlin and is available on request (in Geman). Overall the condition of the three reliefs is stable. All three reliefs have surface dirt throughout and wear consistent with age and storage in varying conditions. There are several areas of worming to all objects which have led to some minor losses. Fine flakes have peeled off throughout the top paint layer on the reliefs; there are several areas of overpainting but much of the original paint remains. The background panels of all three reliefs are replacements to which the reliefs have been remounted with metal screws in the corners. There are some minor losses around each of the screws. All three frames of the reliefs have worming throughout leading to some minor losses to the edges. The frame of the relief with the Death of the VIrgin differs from the other frames in that the top section is fully painted and unaffected by worming, suggesting a different location or a replacement. The scrollwork over each relief - which is fastened with two metal screws to the frame- is very thinly carved and as such has restored fissures, small replacemetns and small losses throughout. Each of the three sections of scrollwork have convex warping consistent with material. A section of the scrollwork on the far right of the relief with the Annunciation is loose. Besides the fine flaking to areas such as the incarnate, the Annunciation has a few areas of larger flaking to the high points in the drapery. The scroll was overpainted. The relief has convex warping consistent with material leading to two stable splits on the top and one on the underside of the Angel's proper right wing.The screw which would have fixed the top left corner is lost and the hole was filled with an adhesive. A small section of the quatrefoil in the tracery window was lost. As with the other reliefs there is fine flaking to the faces of all characters in the Nativity revealing another brighter layer of paint and there is particular wear to the Virgin's veil. The top section of the support of the stable roof and the crossbar which connects it to the main structure are probably replaced. Joseph has lost two fingers of the proper right hand and probably part of the attribute in the same hand. There is an excavated cavity under the left of the upper windows. The relief with the Death of the Virgin has a loss due to worming in the centre of the lower edge and an insert of circa 3 by 3cm adjacent to it. There are a few minor losses including to the fingers of the figure in the top left corner and to the edges of the canopy over the bed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

These three painted wooden panels, finely carved in high relief, formed the wings of a large altarpiece dedicated to the Life of the Virgin Mary. The centre of the altarpiece probably contained  a Virgin and Child sculpted in the round and flanked by figures of Saints, with a group of the Coronation of the Virgin above. The exterior of the wings would have been painted. The fourth panel illustrating the Adoration of the Magi has recently been located in a German private collection. All three reliefs are distinguished by the exquisite quality of their carving and the excellent preservation of the original paint, in particular the fine brocade ornaments and the rare silver and gilding remaining on the dresses and coats, the angel's wings, and in the gothic vault of the Annunciation.

Datable to around 1490, the reliefs can be situated stylistically  between the work of the sculptors Nicolaus Gerhaert, originally from Strasbourg, but active 1462 – 1473 in Vienna, and Tilman Riemenschneider, active in Ulm and Würzburg, circa 1460- 1531. The sculptor of the present panels was probably active in South Germany or in the Alpine region at the end of the 15th century. During this period sculptors travelled extensively around Europe, spreading their style and working methods, which makes it therefore complex to locate the present works to one specific geographic area.

Similar dense narrative scenes, with elegantly carved draperies, such as seen on the archangel Gabriel, can be compared in a series of four important Marian reliefs commissioned around 1490 in Munich for the altar of Schloss Grünwald (today in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich, see Th. Müller, no. 48-51). A Virgin from the Alpine region appearing in a Nativity scene, once in the collection of Richard von Passavant-Gontard, in Frankfurt, also shows a very similar elegant treatment of the drapery (see G. Swarzenski, pp. 22-23, no 94).

Professor Krohm also suggesed to consider a stylistic influence from Franconia based on a comparison with a Virgin and Child from the altar of Trautskirchen (today in the Kaiserkapelle of the castle in Nuremberg) by a Nuremberg master whose work is related to the Zwickauer Retable (see S. Roller, op.cit.). Furthermore, a relief of the Visitation, sculpted at the end of the 15^th century by a Franconian master, once in the collection of George Hartmann in Frankfurt Main (see H. Wilm, pp. 35-36, no.150-152) shows a similar dense composition with an identical style of carving, in the treatment of faces and angular folds of drapery.

One of the important stylistic characteristics of these reliefs, the contrast created between the contours of the bodies with the architectural elements, dominated by the waving seams of the long dresses, can also be illustrated by several Austrian works of the time. The seated apostles in the Last Judgment relief in the Abbey of Pulgarn (today in the Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum in Linz) are similar in the physiognonmy of the apostles in the Dormition. The Apostle standing in the front to the left of Mary's bed can also be closely compared to an Austrian Apostle figure related to the altar of Kefermark sculpted in the round  with a similar treatment of hair and beard (private collection,  see R. Feuchtmüller, p.99, no. 20).

We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Hartmut Krohm, curator in the Berlin Skulpturensammlung, and Professor at the Technical University of Berlin for his expertise concerning these reliefs. A complete technical analysis of the shrine (paint and condition) has been undertaken by Ulf Palitza, Dipl. restorer in Berlin and is available on request.

RELATED LITERATURE
H. Wilm, Bildwerke einer Privatsammlung, Stuttgart, 1942, p. 35-36 Nr. 150-152;
O. H. Förster, Die Sammlung Dr. Richard von Schnitzler, Munich, 1931, p. 49, n° 106;
S. Roller, Nürnberger Bildhauerkunst der Gotik, Beiträge zur Skulptur der Reichsstadt in der zweiten Hälfte des 15. Jahrhundert, Berlin, 1999;
Gotik Schätze Oberösterreich, Katalog zu einem Ausstellungsprojekt des Oberösterreichischen Landesmuseums in Linz, hrsg. von Lothar Schulters. Linz 2003;
F. Kieslinger, Mittelalterliche Skulpturen einer Wiener Sammlung, Wien u. Leipzig ,1937, p. 18 Nr. XXXVI u. XXXVII;
R. Feuchtmüller, Die Sammlung s, Wien u. Heidelberg 1962, p. 99 Nr. 20;
Sammlung Dr. Oertel-München, Bildwerke der Gotik und Renaissance in Holz, Stein und Ton vornehmlich Deutsche Holzplastik, Auktion Rudolph Lepke Berlin, 1913, 6. U. 7. Mai, p. 20 Nr;
Kataloge des Bayerischen Nationalmuseums München, Bd. XIII,2;
T. Müller, Die Bildwerke in Holz, Ton und Stein von der Mitte des XV. bis gegen Mitte des XVI. Jahrhunderts, Munich,1959, p. 54-58 Nr. 48-51;
G. Swarzenski, Sammlung R. von Passavant-Gontard, Frankfurt am Main, 1929, p. 22-23, no 94;