Austrian, Salzburg, circa 1420

Sotheby's London, 9 April 1981, lot 40
on loan to Museum Schnütgen, Cologne, September 2009 to December 2012

Paris, Musée du Louvre, Sculpture allemandes de la fin du Moyen Age dans les collections publiques francaises: 1400-1530, 1991-1992, no. 4

Sculpture allemandes de la fin du Moyen Age dans les collections publiques francaises: 1400-1530, exh. cat. Musée du Louvre, 1991, pp. 58-60, no. 4

There is wear to the surface throughout and dirt consistent with age. There is splitting, consistent with the material, in particular to the proper right side of the chest and to the drapery at the abdomen. Two sections of the base are detached (one at the front and one at the proper left side) and one has been reattached (at the front on the proper left side). The proper right hand detaches at the wrist. There is non-active worming throughout, particularly to the back of the base where there are losses. There are a number of chips, including to the drapery. There is a hole to the underside and a hole to the top, and there are one or two smaller holes. There are a few losses to the pinnacles of the coronet, including the loss of one of the larger foliate pinacles at the front. There is wear to the polychromy throughout. A few sections are carved seperately, including the coronet and the lamb. There are some slightly visible original joints, including to the drapery below the lamb. There are a few small inserts. There are a few original patches of canvas to the surface.
"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 sculpture was one of a small group of works from private collections selected for the important Sculptures allemandes de la fin du Moyen Age exhibition at the Louvre in 1991 (op.cit.). It was there to illustrate the quality and charm of the Salzburg International Gothic, of which the voluminous drapery and youthful rounded face are typical features.

The composition follows the traditional pose and drapery scheme of Beautiful Madonnas such as the stone Virgin and Child in Plzeň, with Christ substituted by the lamb. An emphasis on the sway of the upper body was created by the pronounced curve of the left side of the mantle towards the hand on the opposite side. The heavy folds cascading from the sleeves and down the legs onto the base serve to frame the course of the drapery on the torso, creating an even greater sense of movement.  A St. Catherine in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum Munich (inv. no. MA1112) has similarly arranged drapery.

The lamb identifies the present Saint as St. Agnes, a young Roman martyr known for her kindness and chastity. Her name is derived from the Latin for lamb, agnus, while in Greek the word lamb means chaste, pure or sacred when used as an adjective. In some accounts of her martyrdom, St. Agnes is said to have appeared to her parents upon her death with a lamb at her side, a vision which may be evoked in the present sculpture.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Legner, Spätgotik in Salzburg. Skulptur und Kunstgewerbe 1400-1530, exh. cat. Neuen Haus, Salzburg, 1976, pp. 43-74