French, Champagne, probably Troyes, late 15th century

Sotheby’s London, 11 December 1986, lot 27;
with Edouard Bresset Antiquaires, Paris, 1998

There is dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The head is reattached and the joint is slightly visible, especially at the back. There are some small losses to the drapes and losses to the edges of the hat. There are losses to the ground at the back. The edges of the book are worn. The tips of two of the proper left fingers are lost and also the tips of some of the proper right toes are lost. There was probably an attribute below the beard. There are some small losses to the hair and beard. There is a metal hook to the reverse. Otherwise the condition is broadly good.
"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 Champagne region only fully emerged from the Hundred Years’ War at the very end of the 15^th century as King Charles VIII stabilised the country during the final years of his reign and Louis XII succeeded to the throne. The Champagne’s foremost city, Troyes, possessed resilient industries and in a matter of a few years the town was filled with magnificent hôtels, the cathedral was renovated and churches in the wide surroundings were redecorated. Despite a great fire that levelled most of the city’s architecture again in 1524, records have preserved the names of the most important limestone sculptors active in Troyes during the late medieval boom: the Cordonnier family, Nicolas Haslin and Jacques Bachot. Possibly to preserve the character of the city, the vogue for Italian art that swept through France from the end of the 15^thcentury was curiously overlooked by these men and a medieval idea of beauty prevailed in stead. In particular, the emphasis on grace and fine ornament typical of the International Gothic remained a dominant feature.

The statues of female saints of the School of Troyes are perhaps most recognisable. Their famous charm comes from contented smiles, soothing youthful faces, and inch-perfect rendering of fanciful details such as headdresses, flowing hair, attributes and accessories. Only the best of the much rarer male saints have such character too. Saint James’ soft features, flowing beard, and down-cast gaze lend him a sage-like quality. The pilgrim’s accessories such as the ornamentation on the hat, chest ornament and rosary on the belt were precisely carved. Overall the drapery scheme has a V-shape but is varied and embellished with crumples and cascades throughout much like the Mary Magdalen from the church of Génicourt-sur-Meuse illustrated by Boccador. (op.cit., fig. 125) The special attention given to the main attributes, the pilgrim’s hat and staff in this case, seems to be typical of the school of Troyes as well. The impressive size of Saint Margaret’s dragon in sculpture from the Champagne is another good example of this tendency. (see Avery, op.cit., pls. 2-5) A life-size stone Saint James that follows the same compositional scheme, including the enlarged pilgrim’s hat and layered drapery at the knees, is in the Church of Saint-Martin in Lignières, fifty kilometres south of Troyes. (Leroy, op.cit., p. 171)

RELATED LITERATURE
C. Avery, Sculpture from Troyes in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1974, pp. 63-65, pls. 1-5; J. Boccador, Statuaire médiévale en France de 1400 à 1530, Zoug, 1974, vol. II, pp. 109 and 111, fig. 125; P.-E. Leroy, 300 chefs-d’oeuvre de la statuaire en Champagne méredionale. Sculptures en Champagne au XVIe siècle, Dijon, 2009, p. 171