ATTRIBUTED TO LEONHARD KERN (1558-1662) | Adam

the underside of the ormolu base inscribed: WA / 1770 / A in white paint

The Lord Astor of Hever
his sale, Christie's, London, 11 December 1979, lot 69

Overall the condition of the figure is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is a loss to the tip of the proper right index finger. There are a few minor nicks and scratches, including to the proper right thigh, the proper left shoulder and arm, and to the integral base. The wood has a dark patina, which has lightened at the high points due to rubbing. There is a very small lacuna above the pubis. There is dust in the crevices. The integral wood base appears to have been trimmed at the bottom to slide into the later ormolu base. There is some tarnishing to the ormolu base. There is minor general wear to the glazed wood encasing and the velvet covered base.
"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 highly accomplished statuette bears many of the hallmarks of Leonhard Kern, one of the foremost carvers of small-scale sculpture in 17th-century Germany. From the flat ringlets of hair, slanting eyes, and thin, arched nose, to the carefully observed and finely carved, robust anatomy, the present figure of Adam finds close comparisons in works from the master's accepted oeuvre. Two versions of the same subject from the hand of Kern, equally carved in wood - one embracing Eve, the other from an Expulsion pair - display similar traits and allow for a tentative dating of the present figure between circa 1630 and 1640 (Grünenwald, op. cit., no. 8, pl. 23 and no. 20, pl. 53). The Adam relates also to figures in other materials favoured by Kern, particularly the so-called Money Counter in bronze (ibid., no. 2, pls. 18 and 19) and an ivory Adam in Berlin (ibid., no. 10, pl. 26). What distinguishes the present figure is its assured contrapposto stance, undoubtedly the result of Kern's formative studies in Italy. 

Born in 1588 in Forchtenberg, Hohenlohe, Leonhard Kern was among the most important German sculptors of his generation. Statuettes from his workshop in Schwäbisch Hall were sought-after collectors' items in European Kunstkammern, and were delivered to the courts of Berlin, Brunswick, Dresden, Baden-Baden, Munich and Florence. Kern's success is underscored by his appointment in 1648 as court sculptor to Frederick William von Hohenzollern, Elector of Brandenburg. Having spent several years in Italy, Kern was among the first German sculptors to model nudes from life, and it is his unique combination of anatomical study and original thematic content that is still admired by collectors today.

RELATED LITERATURE
E. Grünenwald, Leonhard Kern: Ein Bildhauer des Barock, Schwäbisch Hall, 1969; H. Siebenmorgen (ed.), Leonhard Kern (1588-1662): Meisterwerke der Bildhauerei für die Kunstkammern Europas, exh. cat. Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum Schwäbisch Hall, 1988, nos. 77 and 86