Gothic bust of saint. Upper Rhine.

Bust of a saint in polychrome wood, hollow back. This bust can be compared to the reliquary busts of Saint Ursula and her companions known on the Middle Rhine in Cologne, as well as the opening virgins of the Upper Rhine. However, our sculpture retains the techniques in force in the 13th century, including the hollowed back, and a style different from the saints of the Middle Rhine. It must be placed in southern Germany in the 14th century.

Reliquary busts linked to the cult of Saint Ursula became popular from the 1300s to 1430. This bust showed its original polychromy after removal of subsequent overpaintings.
Related works: Reliquary bust from the Bode Museum Berlin, Berlin - DH7F84, Bust of Saint Ursula from the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam BK-NM-11666.
Works consulted: Spätgotik am Oberrhein, Ernst Petrasch, Karlsruhe, 1971 - Die Holzskulpturen des Mittelalters, Ulrike Bergmann, Köln, 1989. Die Sammlung Dr. Albert Figdor, Falke Schestag Friedländer Planiscig, Berlin 1930.

Origin: Ile de France, France

Medium: Oak wood

Size: Height: 42cm

Period: 14th century

Condition: Xylophagous damages, restorations.

Ref.223