German, Lower Bavaria, or Upper Austrian, circa 1520

with an old label to the underside inscribed: Sammlung D^r. Becker / 12 in ink and inscribed: 7060 in white crayon to the reverse

Johannes Hinrichsen, Altaussee;
Dr. Heinrich Becker, Dortmund, Germany, acquired from the above in 1954;
the present owners, acquired from the above in 1975

Schloss Cappenberg, Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte Dortmund, Meisterwerke alter Malerei, 1954, no. 18

Overall the condition of the wood is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is evidence of past worming throughout, notably to the drapery of the Virgin around her abdomen, to the body of the Christ Child, and to the back. There is some stable splitting to the wood consistent with the material, which is particularly visible at the back but includes a very minor split to the Virgin's forehead. There is some wood fill to an open split at the back. A section around the Virgin's proper left shoulder is carved separately; with a joint visible at the back. The gilding and polychromy have probably been refreshed. There is wear to the gilding and polychromy, including some losses, in particular to the gilding at the high points of the drapery. The group is mounted on a probably later wood board at the bottom, which has a loss at the back. There is an old metal hook for hanging on the reverse.
"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 charming relief of the Virgin and Child with Angels at her feet may originate from the same workshop as a group of the Seated Virgin and Child formerly in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich (Müller, op. cit., no. 77), which has been located in the Innviertel on the Austrian border with Bavaria. The Virgin's corpulence and her attractive round face with delicate features mirror the group in Munich as well as a related Virgin formerly in a Frankfurt collection (Schmitt and Swarzenski, op. cit., no. 169). 

Typical of Bavarian sculpture under the influence of the Landshut master Hans Leinberger are the broad, chubby heads with small features exhibited by the Christ Child and Angels in the present group. The motif of the Angels 'opening up' the Virgin's drapery as if it were a curtain lends a playful theatricality to the composition.

RELATED LITERATURE
O. Schmitt and G. Swarzenski, Meisterwerke der Bildhauerkunst in Frankfurter Privatbesitz, Bd. 1, Deutsche und Franzosische Plastik des Mittelalters, Frankfurt am Main, 1921; 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; Um Leinberger: Schüler und Zeitgenossen, exh. cat. Spitalkirche Heiliggeist, Landshut, 2007