Austrian, Tyrol, circa 1420-1430

private collection, Verona
Dr. Peter Hierzenberger, Vienna
his sale, Sotheby's London, 3 April 1984, lot 5

Overall the condition of the cast stone is good with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a number of losses, including to Christ's proper left hand, to his proper left foot (the big toe and tips of the two nearest toes are lost), and to the front of the crown of thorns. There are further losses to the Virgin's drapery at the proper left side and to her blue mantle on the proper right side near the base. There is wear to the original polychromy throughout and the paint was refreshed in areas. The tips of the noses are restored and there is a small loss to the tip of Christ's nose. Christ's proper left arm and a section of the Virgin's headdress on the proper left side were reattached and restorations are visible. The lower sections of Christ's legs may be reattached. There are a number of further restorations including to the back of the Virgin's head on the proper left side and possibly to her proper right hand. There are two holes to the top of the throne (probably for lost elements). There are holes in Christ's hands and feet for the stigmata and holes in the two heads for lost halos. There are also small holes in the crown for thorns; some remnants of the thorns remain. There are a number of chips to the edges, particularly to the base, and a few small lacunae.
"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."

Among the most poignant images of the International Gothic are the Bohemian-Austrian Pietàs of the present type. Like other sculpture in the Beautiful style, the statues are characterised by the profusion of cascading drapery folds and the Virgin’s youthful face. The scene's anguish, as Mary bows her grief-stricken face over the horizontally presented Christ, influenced representations of the Pietà until well into the 16^th century. Some of the earliest examples of this type are groups in the parish churches of Bruneck and Lienz (see Mülller, op.cit., pl. VIII and fig. 45). The present group’s nervous, irregular drapery and the elongation of the torso of the Virgin differs from these prototypes and Christ is also not usually turned towards the onlooker. This motif is repeated in a slightly later polychromed wood Pietà from the Alsace, illustrated by Boccador (op.cit., fig. 207), and therefore the present statue may have originated in the middle of the 15^th century. The material from which it is made, called steinguss, is thought to be typically Austrian.

In addition to wood and limestone, Austrian Gothic sculptors worked with a cement consisting of pieces of limestone, lime, and casein. The material has the appearance of limestone and was cast in moulds and is therefore referred to as steinguss. Cast stone was inexpensive and lighter than any other material and casts could be produced at much higher speed than carvings. Steinguss statues played a central role in the dissemination of Beautiful Madonnas and Pietàs since they were available to a wider clientele and could easily be transported further afield. Grossman (op.cit., p.49) suggests that many of the cast stone statues were produced in church workshops in Salzburg, but it is likely that the technique was also extensively used in Tyrol.

RELATED LITERATURE
D. Grossmann, Stabat Mater. Maria unter dem Kreuz in der Kunst um 1400, exh. cat. Salzburg Cathedral, Salzburg, 1970, p. 49; T. Müller, Gotische Skulptur in Tyrol, Bozen/ Vienna, 1970, pp. 19-20, 429-430; J. Boccador, Statuaire Médiévale en France de 1400 à 1530, Zoug, 1974, p. 188, fig. 207; M. Koller, ‘Bildhauer- und Malertechnologische Beobachtungen zur Werkstattpraxis um 1400 anhand aktueller Restaurierung’, Kunsthistorisches Jahrbuch Graz, XXIV, 1990, pp. 135-161