Lot 43
  • 43

Austrian, Salzburg, circa 1430

Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 GBP
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Description

  • The Virgin, or female saint, with a pear
  • gilt and polychromed limewood
  • Austrian, Salzburg, circa 1430

Condition

Overall the condition of the wood is good, with wear and some dirt to the surface consistent with age. The attribute in the proper left hand is lost and a small hole remains. The top of the head is carved separately with some losses to the veil around this area. A joint is visible around the proper right wrist. There is some stable splitting to the wood consistent with the material, notably slightly open splits running across the centre at the front, another to her forehead, an open split with an area of loss to the veil on the proper right side, and further splits at the back. There are a few losses around the edge of the base, notably at the back. There is wear to the polychromy throughout, including craquelure and flaking, and there are areas where the canvas lining has been exposed. Areas of loss to the polychromy include some of the folds of drapery around her abdomen, and larger areas at the back. There is a small hole at the back below the veil.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Having originated in courtly Bohemia, the Schöner Stil (Beautiful Style), which would come to dominate religious sculpture well into the mid-15th century, found a second great artistic centre in Salzburg. Absorbing the elegant language of the style, but imbuing it with a heavy opulence and broad, doll-like features, Salzburg and its surrounding area produced Schöne Madonnen that rivalled the serene appeal of their Bohemian prototypes.

With her short stature, the S-curve of her stance that is most clearly seen in a profile view, and the arrangement of her drapery, with a large section falling from the left arm in gentle cascades, she finds a direct comparison in a Saint Agnes formerly in the Gustav Rau collection, which was sold in these rooms on 2 July 2013 (see Guillot de Suduiraut, op. cit., no. 4). Further parallels may be drawn with various groups representing the Virgin and Child from Salzburg; note, for example, the similarly rounded, high forehead of the Madonna from Grossarl (Legner, op. cit., no. 69), which like the St Agnes is dated to around 1420.

The present Virgin’s face is, however, arguably more individualised than that of many similar examples, including the Agnes, indicating perhaps a slightly later dating. Carved fully in the round, the present figure exhibits a beautiful back view, showing off her intricately carved headdress.

While the Virgin is frequently shown with the pear, a symbol of divine love, it is uncommon for her to be represented thus without an accompanying Christ Child. The precise iconography of the present figure remains enigmatic, as the now-lost attribute in her left hand is unlikely to have been a Child. It is possible that she instead represents a female saint.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Legner, Spätgotik in Salzburg: Skulptur und Kunstgewerbe 1400-1530, exh. cat. Neues Haus, Salzburg, 1976, pp. 59, 61; S. Guillot de Suduiraut (ed.), Sculptures allemandes de la fin du Moyen Age dans les collections publiques françaises 1400-1530, exh. cat. Musée du Louvre, Paris, 1991