Southern German, probably Swabia, early 16th century

with a label on the reverse inscribed: 15. 20 / 36431

Sally Eichengrün, Munich;
Confiscated from the above by the Gestapo in Munich in November 1938;
Sent for storage to the Beuerberg Monastery, Bavaria in 1945 (inv. no. 15/20);
Recuperated by the so-called Monuments Men and transferred to the Central Collecting Point Munich on the 24nd July 1946 (inv. no. Mü 36431);
Transferred to the Central Collecting Point Wiesbaden on the 8^th June 1949;
Restituted from the above to Hedwig Stern née Eichengrün, daughter of Sally Eichengrün;
private collection, Germany

Overall the condition of the wood is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. The surface appears to have been stripped of polychromy and a varnish was applied. Some polychromy remains in the faces and at the side behind Anna. There is some minor stable splitting to the wood consistent with the material, in particular around the bottom of the composition. There are a few minor losses, notably to a strand of Joachim's hair on his forehead, to the base at the front, and to one of the edges of Anna's drapery at the bottom, as well as her proper left sleeve. There are a few scratches, including to Joachim's forehead, eyelid and proper right shoulder. There is also some evidence of past worming, in particular to the drapery at the bottom and Anna's back. There is a small area of loss between the two figures below Joachim's pouch. The side sections are carved separately and joints are slightly visible. There is further evidence of past worming and some losses to the back.
"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."

Compare the long, straight folds of drapery of the present lot, and the shorter, criss-cross folds along the sleeves, with works in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (op. cit.)

RELATED LITERATURE
T. Müller, Die Bildwerke in Holz, Ton und Stein von der Mitte des XV. bis gegen Mitte des XVI. Jahrhunderts, cat. Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich, 1959, nos. 268-271

The present lot is offered with a Radiocarbon dating measurement report (ref. no. RCD-8814) prepared by J. Walker of RCD Lockinge, which states that the wood dates between 1317 and 1444 (with 95% confidence interval).