North East French, Burgundian, last quarter 15th century

Standard wear and surface abrasions consistent with age. Minor losses include around edge of base and some points of crown. Minor restorations to small areas of drapery around lower edge. Age cracks (stable). There appear to be remainders of early polychromy with refreshed polychromy.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

By 1363, Philip the Bold ruled the Duchy of Burgundy and, driven by his expansionist policies, he and his successors eventually ruled over some of the richest territories in Europe which resulted in a sophisticated artistic court style. The Duke imported Netherlandish carvers to his Burgundian Duchy, the most important of whom was Claus Sluter, a member of the Brussels stone-carver’s guild. Sluter’s work displayed a sense of drama, realism and volume and it soon became the standard in sculpture.

Two limestone figures from Poligny of St. James the Greater, circa 1450-75 (acc. no.47.101.17) and St. Paul, circa 1420-30 (acc. no. 22.31.1) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York illustrate the style of carving emblematic of the region. The sculptor of the present wood figure of Melchior clearly worked in the Burgundian Netherlands, probably near Dijon or Poligny. The figure embodies the regional influence of Sluter and his followers, like Juan de la Huerta who was known to have worked in wood. The same sense of mass created by the deep folds of the ample drapery, the pattern of the folds, the carving of the hair in thick pieces with slightly hooked ends, and the forked beard illustrate the perpetuation of a grand style that originated with late 14^th century tomb of Philip the Bold in Dijon

RELATED LITERATURE
P. Quarré, La Sculpture en Bourgogne à la fin du moyen age, Friborg, 1978
W.H. Forsyth, "Three Fifteenth-Century Sculptures from Poligny" in Metropolitan Museum Journal, vol. 22, 1987, pp.71-91