Southern German, circa 1670

Sotheby's London, 11 December 1986, lot 40

Brussels, Musée de la Maison d'Erasme, Anatomie des Vanités, 2008

A. Vanautgaerden (ed.), Anatomie des Vanités, exh. cat., Musée de la Maison d'Erasme, Brussels, 2008, p. 40

Overall the condition of the wood is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The attribute in the proper left hand is lost. There is a reattachment at the proper right forearm, which is partially loose and could be stabilised through professional restoration. Both arms are carved separately, with joints slightly visible below the shoulders. There appear to be very minor restorations to the proper left forearm, and the surface has darkened around these areas. There is a minor loss, or naturally occurring knot in the wood, to the edge of the terrasse below the proper left foot, where the surface has also darkened. The surface of the wood appears darker in several areas, notably to the terrasse and in the crevices, and lighter at the high points, where the wood is slightly rubbed.
"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 figure of Death relates closely to an example in the Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, as well as one in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, which is dated 1673 (Beck, op. cit., nos. 191 and 191a); note the skin around the head and the sash across the torso exhibited by all three. The attribute of an hourglass is seen in a bronze skeleton from Augsburg now in Strasbourg (ibid., no. 190), as well as in an example dated to the 16th century by Bange (op. cit., pl. 72).

RELATED LITERATURE
E. F. Bange, Die Kleinplastik der Deutschen Renaissance in Holz und Stein, Florence and Munich, 1928, pls. 72-73; H. Beck and B. Decker (eds.), Dürers Verwandlung in der Skulptur zwischen Renaissance und Barock, exh. cat. Liebieghaus, Frankfurt am Main, 1981, pp. 298-304