Workshop of the Master of Elsloo (active first half 16th century) Netherlandish, Limburg, circa 1520-1530

There is stable splitting to the wood throughout, consistent with the material, in particular to Christ's torso, to the Virgin's drapery, and to the back. There is a large lacuna to the Virgin's drapery on the proper right side towards the base. Traces of the original polychromy survive, with craquelure. The bottom of the drapery and the base are each carved separately and joints are visible. There is non-active worming to the wood, in particular to the upper back and to the head, where there are resultant losses. There are a few losses to Christ's feet and proper right hand, and to the Virgin's clothing and hair. The sculpture is open at the back and there is an iron hook at the top. There is tarnishing to the surface of the coronet throughout, some losses and reattachments to the pinnacles, and several fissures. There are traces of silver polish.
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The oeuvre of the so-called Master of Elsloo consists of a number of sculptures with specific corresponding features, grouped around two statues representing St. Anne teaching the Virgin to read in the parish churches of Elsloo and Montfort by Timmers (op.cit.). These works are mainly found in the late medieval Duchy of Upper Gelre (effectively the area from Roermond up to Kleef and the Mosan and Rhenish regions in between), and are dated to the first half of the 16^th century. Within the body of work assigned to the master, four main groups are distinguished according to the Horst exhibition catalogue (op.cit.). Despite the differences in the appearance of the surface, the present Madonna and Child can be compared to a Marianum in the church of St. Martinus in Venlo and to several further Mariana in the churches of Thorn, Horst, Neer and Wessem. These are grouped within the so-called Maaseik variety. A further comparable work from the Maaseik group was sold at Sotheby’s Amsterdam, 14 December 1998, lot 320. The crown is also likely to stem from Limburg: it closely resembles one on a figure of St. Agatha by Van Steffenswert sold in these rooms on 5 December 2012, lot 11.

RELATED LITERATURE
J.J.M. Timmers, 'Een onbekend beeldsnijder der 16e eeuw: De “Meester van Elsloo”', Oud Holland 57, 1940, pp. 75-78; J.J.M. Timmers, Houten Beelden, Amsterdam/ Antwerp, 1949, pp. 38-42; De Meester van Elsloo. Oppergelders beeldsnijder XVIe eeuw, exh. cat. Gemeente Horst en de Kring Norst van het Limburgs Geschied- en Oudheidkundig Genootschap, Horst, 1974