German, Upper Rhine, late 15th century

Overall the condition of the wood is good with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There are a few restorations in wax, including to the top of the niche on the right and the ceiling as well as a few old worm holes plugged with wax. There is some stable naturally occurring splitting to the upper and lower edge. Some of these splits, including one on the lower right, were filled with wood during an earlier restoration. There is a small loss to the decoration of the arch on the left.
"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."

This beautiful relief compares closely with Upper Rhenish wood sculpture from the last quarter of the 15^th century. The attractive round, symmetrical, faces with pointed chin and almond-shaped eyes, can be seen in works including the Birth of Christ attributed to Hans Kamensetzer (fl. 1471-1478) in the Rijksmuseum (inv. no. RBK 16985). Note, in particular, the enveloping drapery with cartaceous folds, which fan out across the ground. The Virgin’s twirling strands of hair are seen again in carvings such as the Mary Magdelen under the Cross, dating to circa 1470-80, in the Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe (inv. no. C 6453). Significantly, the present composition is known from a stucco relief in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (inv. no. 31), which has been dated to the last quarter of the 15^th century (Spätgotik… op. cit., p. 79, no. 4); the present relief thus appears to be the original model. Examples of Rhenish sculpture being reproduced in stucco include a relief with the Annunciation attributed to Hans Wydyz (fl. 1480-1510), in the Bargello (circa 1480-1490; inv. no. 1366C) of which there is a stucco cast in the musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon (inv. no. D-518). This relief is stylistically comparable to the present sculpture (though of a more mature style), compare the carving of the angel’s wings and the flowering plant in the Bargello prime version. Other stucco reliefs include the Birth of Christ, Strasbourg, circa 1470/80, in the Liebieghaus, Frankfurt (inv. no. 927), note also numerous wood reliefs with a comparable depth of field, such as the Birth of Christ, Upper Rhine, late 15^th-century, in the Musée du Florival, Guebwiller (inv. no. 221).

RELATED LITERATURE
Spätgotik am Oberrheim. Meisterwerke der Plastik und des Kunsthandwerks 1450-1530, exh. cat. Karlsruher Schloss, Karlsruhe, 1970, pp. 79, 129-130, nos. 4, 66; S. Guillot de Suduiraut, Sculptures allemandes de la fin du Moyen Age dans les collections publiques françaises 1400-1530, musée du Louvre, Paris, pp. 109-111, no. 23; S. Roller, Niclaus Gerhaert. Der Bildhauer des späten Mittelalters, Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung, Frankfurt am Main, and musée de l’Oeuvre Notre-Dame, Strasbourg, 2012, pp. 320-321, no. 32