Southern German, probably Nuremberg, circa 1480-1500

Dorotheum, Vienna, 30 September 2003, lot 75;
private collection, Belgium

Overall the condition of the sculpture is very good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There appear to be some reattachments or restorations to the spikes of the Virgin's crown. Several of the 'pearls' of the crown and the Virgin's dress are lost. A few sections are carved separately with slightly visible joints, such as the Child's proper left hand. A small section of the Virgin's drapery at the bottom has been reattached. There is wear to the gilding and polychromy, including some flaking and minor craquelure. There are particular losses to the gilding and polychromy to the edges of the drapery around the Virgin's proper left wrist. It is likely that the gilding and polychromy have been refreshed in areas. A few areas of the Virgin's gilt mantle, notably on her proper right side, are darkened. There is minor evidence of past worming, including to the crown, to a ringlet of the child's hair where there is a small loss, and particularly at the back and the top of the Virgin's head. There is some minor stable splitting to the wood consistent with the material, notably to the Virgin's proper right wrist.
"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."

This finely carved group of the Virgin and Child exudes an air of graceful serenity. The scheme of the Virgin's restrained drapery finds its closest parallel in a Middle Franconian Female Saint of around 1490 now in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich (Müller, op. cit.), where the motif of the rectangular central fold is repeated. Combined with a striking similarity to a Virgin and Child from the Middle Franconian town of Egersheim (Germanisches Nationalmuseum, inv. no. Pl. O. 118), this indicates an origin of the present group in or around Nuremberg. The charming roundness of the Virgin's face, with a hint of a smile on her delicate lips, and her elegant long tresses are reminiscent of figures by masters from Ulm, such as Michel Erhart and Niklaus Weckmann. Notably the Christ Child's wide-eyed, cheerful expression and exaggerated ringlets of hair are also seen in the Christ at the centre of Michel Erharts altarpiece in Blaubeuren. Such stylistic correspondences are indicative of the Swabian influence on Franconian sculpture in the late 15th century. Compare also a Saint Catherine in Dijon, who shares Franconian as well as Swabian features (Guillot, op. cit., no. 45). 

RELATED LITERATURE
W. Josephi, Die Werke Plastischer Kunst, cat. Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, 1910, no. 309; 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, no. 176; S. Guillot de Suduiraut (ed.), Sculptures allemandes de la fin du Moyen Age dans les collections publiques français: 1400-1530, exh. cat. musée du Louvre, Paris, 1991