GERMAN, RHINELAND, SECOND HALF 14TH CENTURY | Pietà

Overall the condition of the wood is good, with wear and some dirt to the surface consistent with age. There are losses to five fingers on Christ's proper left hand, and to three fingers on his proper right hand. A few sections are carved separately with joints slightly visible, notably at Christ's feet and the throne on the left side. There is some evidence of past worming, in particular at the back and around the terrasse, where it has led to minor losses. There are also minor losses to the Virgin's proper right middle and ring fingers, and to Christ's head at the back. There is wear to the gilding and polychromy, including areas of loss at some of the high points, the Virgin's proper left shoulder and veil at the back, Christ's chest on the proper left side, His perizonium above the proper right knee, and the drapery between the Virgin's legs. In recent history later layers of polychromy appear to have been removed, and there is a 'colour chart' recording this on Christ's proper left leg. It is likely that the present polychromy has been refreshed in several areas. There is minor stable splitting to the wood, consistent with the material, including at the back, and to Christ's chest, where it appears to have been stabilised. There are a few wood inserts, notably one to Christ's proper right shoulder, to the Virgin's proper right arm at the back, and the throne on the left side. There are a few pieces of wood attached to the back, probably for stabilisation. There is a metal loop at 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."

It was not until the early fourteenth century that the image of the Pietà became an established motif in Christian iconography. Focusing solely on the grieving Virgin embracing the body of her son, sculptural groups representing this theme became an exercise in conveying its dramatic power through graphic anatomical details and rousing expressions of grief.

Early German Pietàs are rare, perhaps the most celebrated example being the Roettgen Pietà most recently dated to the mid-14th century, now in the Landesmuseum in Bonn (inv. no. 24189), whose drastic realism takes the poignancy of the subject to a visual extreme. While the comparatively peaceful nature of the present Pietà contrasts with the group in Bonn, it too is likely to have been made in the Rhineland. A comparison with two analogous groups in Soest (Nikolaikapelle, Beenken, op. cit., no. 40) and Paderborn (Erzbischöfliches Diözesanmuseum und Domschatzkammer, Foto Marburg, image no. fmc437894) argues for a possible localisation in Westphalia. Note, in particular, the Virgin's broad facial features with large, slanting eyes, her dress, and the scheme of her drapery around the legs. However the wood of the present group, which appears to be lime, may indicate a more southern origin. A notable feature seen in the present group is the appearance and positioning of Christ: instead of lying horizontally across the Virgin's legs as an emaciated corpse, He sits upright on the Virgin’s lap with idealised features, seemingly foreshadowing His Resurrection. In this, the group relates to a mid-14th century Pietà from Cologne (Bergmann, op. cit.), whose emphasis shifts away from expressions of pain towards a sense of pious contemplation. 

RELATED LITERATURE
H. Beenken, Bildwerke Westfalens, Bonn, 1923, no. 40; R. Suckale (ed.), Schöne Madonnen am Rhein, exh. cat. LVR-Landesmuseum, Bonn, 2009, pp. 189-190, no. 13; U. Bergmann, 'Die Kölner Skulptur der Hochgotik' in D. Täube and M. Fleck (eds.), Glanz und Größe des Mittelalters: Kölner Meisterwerke aus den großen Sammlungen der Welt, exh. cat. Schnütgen Museum, Cologne, Munich, 2011, p. 143, fig. 7