Burgundian Netherlands, 16th century

painted with two coats of arms of Anne of Brittany; with a yellow label printed ASTOR OF HEVER and numbered: 187 to the reverse

Lord Astor of Hever;
sold Sotheby's, the Hever Castle Collection, 6 May 1983, lot 264

Overall the condition of the alabaster is good. There is wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is overall wear to the polychromy. The piece was made from sections; joints are slightly visible. There are losses to the tips of both spires and to two of the ornaments on the canopy. The central ornament on the canopy was reattached with a metal rod. There are several minor chips and nicks to the edges of the relief.
"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."

The present panel is comparable with an epitaph relief in Tournai Cathedral from the 1530s and a relief sold in these rooms on 9 December 2005 (lot 12). Both panels are carefully detailed and decorated like the present panel, with scrolling foliage and pierced cresting on their architectural frames. The Tournai relief shows further kneeling female donors but the more elaborate dress and the facial type of the noblewoman in the present relief does suggest a different workshop which was probably active at a slightly later date.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Steyaert, 'Sculpture in Tournai c. 1400-80', in: Late gothic sculpture. The Burgundian Netherlands, Ghent, 1994, pp. 61-62, fig.36