Flemish, Antwerp, circa 1510

with the engraved marks of the wood merchants on the reverse

Dr. Stefan von Licht, Vienna
his sale, Galerie Hugo Helbing, Frankfurt, 1929, lot 320, pl. VIII
Kunsthaus Lempertz, Cologne, 22-26 November 1973, lot 1941

Overall the condition of the wood is good with minor dirt and wear consistent with age. There are a few minor losses, including to some of the hats and drapery and to the fingers on Christ's proper right hand. The group consists of six sections: the main scene consists of three joined sections and the three mourning women at the back are carved separately. The top mourner is reattached. There are small restorations to Christ's proper left arm and the swathe of drapery coming down from the hat of Mary Magdalen. There is minor splitting, including to the far left figure and to the reverse. There is minor non-active worming, mostly to the top figure. There are some remnants of original polychromy.
"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."

From the mid-fifteenth century onwards, the Netherlands, and the cities of Antwerp and Brussels in particular, were noted for their production of large retables consisting of narrative scenes against architectural backgrounds in a boxed framework. The output was regulated strictly by a set of guilds -the wood suppliers, wood carvers and wood painters- who would each add assay marks to the altar pieces, branding the object with the good name of their hometown and guild. The production of such altarpieces was substantial, but their survival was often compromised by the dismantling of altars. Iconoclastic revolutions, the dissolution of the monasteries and events such as the Napoleonic Wars lead to their destruction. With the Gothic Revival in the 19^th century, however, some of the material was saved by early collectors of Flemish late Gothic art, albeit often only in fragments, such as the present carving.

The narrative scenes of most extant Netherlandish altar pieces depict scenes from the Life of Christ or the Virgin. On the former, The Lamentation over the Dead Christ usually features. The composition of the scene then follows a common source: Christ lies diagonally at the centre of the scene, supported by Joseph of Arimathea with Mary Magdalene presenting her ointment at his feet, while the Virgin and other figures lament his passing in the background. The complete retables in Hulshout, Aarlen, Elmpt (Germany), Den Bosch, Waase and Neerharen, all made in Antwerp and exhibited there in 1993 (op.cit., nos. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 11), retain such a scene in a register on the right hand side. The present scene is more unusual for having the body of Christ supported by the Virgin as well, a Pietà, which is more reminiscent of the two figure-groups in small Lamentation retables, such as that in the Sint-Walburgis Church in Netterden, Holland. The regular appearance of the scene in retables from Antwerp in particular, and the intricately carved elaborate costumes, suggest that the present relief originates from Antwerp as well. Its size, accomplished pyramidical composition and the variety in the attitudes of the characters are outstanding.

RELATED LITERATURE
H. Nieuwkoop, Antwerpse retabels. 15de-16de eeuw, exh. cat. Antwerp Cathedral, 1993, pp. 30-35, 40-43, 48-57,64-69, 74-83 and 142-145, nos. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 22 and 23