Southern Netherlandish, second half 14th century

Private collection, Bruges, photographed 1917/1918 (Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, no. fm195187); recorded as in the Gruuthusemuseum, Bruges, 1917/1918 (Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, no. 1.154.932);
private collection, Ghent

Overall the condition of the wood is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. The figure would have once held a crucifix, which is now lost; there are indentations to the hands and between the knees which would have held it in place. There are some losses due to inactive worming, notably to the proper left knee, the proper right big toe, the proper left toes, the bottom edge as a whole, and to the throne on both sides and at the back. There is further, more minor, evidence of past worming in other areas, including to the forehead and the shoulders. There is some stable splitting to the wood, consistent with the material, notably one open split running down the back, another between the knees, and a more minor split to the proper left side of the head. There is wear to the gilding and polychromy throughout, including craquelure, notably to the drapery. Much of the gilding to the drapery has worn. There are several losses to the polychromy, in particularly at the high points of the drapery, at the back, and to to the hands. Some of the gilding and polychromy appears to have been refreshed, notably to the face and hair. There is a small hole to the top of the head.
"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 distinguished figure of God the Father enthroned would have formed part of a representation of the Trinity as the 'Throne of Mercy'. The iconography of the seated Father presenting a cross with the crucified Christ surmounted by the Dove of the Holy Ghost developed in Western Art during the Middle Ages and by the 15th century was a common motif in both painting and sculpture. Earlier representations of the Throne of Mercy are rarer; examples include one such figure within a Rhenish figural shrine from circa 1300 (Metropolitan Museum, inv. no. 17.190.185), whose rigid, frontal positioning defines the type and is analogous to the present figure.

Recorded in Bruges in the early 20th century, the present sculpture seems traditionally to have been considered to be from Flanders and dated to the late 14th century (see caption, Foto Marburg, no. fm195187). This dating is supported by the stylised waves of hair framing the ears, the large head, and the restrained, clinging drapery, which are typical features of 14th-century northern European sculpture. The figure's face and hairstyle, with a tuft of hair above the forehead, compare with a Flemish 14th-century Standing Christ recorded in the Gruuthusemuseum, Bruges (Foto Marburg, no. fm195184). Another compelling comparison can be made with a seated St. Paul in the Westfälisches Landesmuseum, Münster (inv. no. E 82), which is dated to the third quarter of the 14th century and thought to come from Liège (see Rhein und Maas, op. cit.). Note the similarity of hairstyle and beard, facial type with rippled forehead and long nose, as well as the arrangement of the drapery. The possibility of a Mosan origin for the God the Father can therefore not be excluded.

RELATED LITERATURE
Rhein und Maas: Kunst und Kultur 800-1400, exh. cat. Cologne and Brussels, Cologne, 1972, vol. 1, pp. 365-366, no. N 10

The present lot is offered with a Radiocarbon dating measurement report (ref. no. RCD-8912) prepared by J. Walker of RCD Lockinge, dated May 2017, which states that the wood from the sample dates between AD 901 and 1036 (95% confidence interval).