Bohemian, Prague, circa 1400-1410

Overall the condition of the wood is good. There is some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There are areas where the polychromy has flaked throughout, several sections have subsequently been overpainted. There are a few more recent losses to the paint, including at Her proper right shoulder, abdomen, proper right ring finger and his proper right arm. There is some minor worming to the surface consistent with material and a naturally occurring split to the reverse of the base. Her proper right arm is largely lost, remnants of a book page which covered the gap at the reverse remain. The Child is missing His proper left arm, right hand and the bird at his proper right knee. There are some chips to the edge of the swathe of drapery near Her proper right knee. A section of wood on the top of the Virgin's head is possibly associated. There are small holes to the top and sides of the Child's head for mounting a halo. There is a metal nail to the reverse.
"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."

Schöne Madonnen, or Beautiful Madonnas, are among the most recognisable and sought-after works of art from a distinctive artistic movement that emerged in Europe around 1400. Throughout the continent, artists departed from the generally more expressive style of the 14^th century and introduced a more refined language. It focused on decorative effects, which were meant to evoke a fairy-tale environment for the onlooker. Graceful silhouettes, a calm charm and, famously, a voluminous drapery style characterised by cascading folds became the leitmotivs of the style, as exemplified in this graceful and wonderfully petite Virgin and Child.

Today this phenomenon is referred to as the International Gothic, a term coined by Otto Pächt in 1962 (op.cit., p. 53). At the cradle of the International Gothic stood the House of Luxembourg, the ruling family of Bohemia. In the second half of the 14^th century it employed the architect Peter Parler from Cologne and a group of manuscript illuminators who would introduce many of the style’s distinctive traits. During the early stages, images of the Virgin in particular were laden with a supernatural grace which was distinctly human at the same time. This coincided with the fresh resurgence of the Marian cult in which new texts celebrated Mary’s physical beauty as a reflection of her spiritual beauty (Guillot de Suduiraut, op.cit., pp. 27-28).

This environment also gave rise to the prototypes for the Beautiful Madonnas: the statues of the Virgin and Child from Krumlau, Plzeň and Altenmarkt. Their grace was achieved through a set of stylistic traits that would come to characterise all the Schöne Madonnen and influenced sculpture as far afield as London, Paris, Avignon and Barcelona. The Virgin was represented with a pronounced contrapposto supporting a usually lively Child.  His position counterbalances the sway of his mother. Swathes of drapery suspended from one or both arms were given volume and lightness by arranging them in zig-zag folds. The present group differs somewhat in that the Child is settled on Mary’s proper right hip rather than her left and that her other attribute, an apple, is loosely held on the other side. There is nevertheless a strong resemblance to the more conventionally composed early Bohemian Madonna in the Kunstmuseum in Düsseldorf (inv. no. 1934-28) illustrated in Die Parler (op.cit., pp. 688-690). The way the Virgin pulls her drapery diagonally across her legs and the wide face and questioning expression of Christ compare well to the Düsseldorf Virgin and Child.

RELATED LITERATURE
O. Pächt, Europäische Kunst um 1400. Achte Ausstellung unter den Auspizien der Europarates, exh. cat. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 1962, p. 53; A. Legner (ed.), Die Parler und der Schöne Stil 1350-1400. Europäische Kunst under dem Luxemburgern, exh. cat. Kunsthalle Köln, Cologne, 1978, vol. 2, pp. 688-690; 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, pp. 27-30