SPANISH, PROBABLY CATALAN, CIRCA 14TH CENTURY | Portable Altar

The Verso: the joints are open on all four corners. There is some loss of paint along these joints. The painted surface of the frame has overall surface dirt and numerous areas of loss (as visible in the detailed photographs available). There are 8 areas of loss around iron nails, two on each side. The paint on the frame has overall craquelure. The Sides: The portable altar is made up of the upper frame and a lower wood panel. The join of the upper frame and panel is clearly visible on all four sides. There is extensive loss of paint as visible in the detailed photographs available). This reveals areas of plaster in between the paint and the wood. The Recto: There is extensive paint loss, with scattered remains of blue paint and a thin plaster layer below. There are 8 iron nails corresponding to those on the verso which are flattened out. There are some small worm holes Stone centre: The stone centre, which appears to be the original, is slightly raised at one of the short sides. There are small traces of red paint along the long sides consistent with the paint on the verso. There are various old chips and losses along the edges
"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."

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Castiñeiras and J. Camps, Romanesque Art in the MNAC collections, cat. MNAC, Barcelona, 2008, pp. 89-135; M. Bagnoli and H. Klein, Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics, and Devotion in Medieval Europe, exh. cat. British Museum, 2011, p. 86, no. 42 The present lot is offered with a radiocarbon dating measurement report (ref. no. RCD-8815) prepared by J. Walker of RCD Lockinge, which states the wood dates between 1331 and 1461 (with 95% confidence interval).