Statuette of a prophet, white marble, Lower Rhenish (Cologne), ca. 1320

White marble statuette.

Purchased under the request of capt. H.B. Murray

The figure was almost certainly made by the same workshop who supplied the marble statuettes for the High Altar of Cologne Cathedral. This altar was origianlly decorated on all four sides by figures of the same size, material and style. The present figure bears no trace of paint, like those at Cologne, but only gilt decoration on the beard and hair.

This prophet is not dissimilar to the statuettes of weepers and mourners produced in marble and alabaster to adorn aristocratic tombs produced by later artists such as Claus Sluter, but we can be sure this figure was not made for this purpose, since it portrays a prophet not a weeper, and is rather too small. Most importantly, tomb figures were based on a style and example set by altar figures, of which this is a prime example, as those of magnate and princely rank sought to make their tombs appear as grand religious altars to their memory for others to pray to and respect, and come into fashion towards the end of the fourteenth century - in other words more than half a century later than the date of this figure. The style, date, subject and size of the figure is clearly that of a figure from a now lost group decorating the sides of an altar in a church some where around Cologne.

Lower Rhenish

This statuette probably decorated an altar, like a very similar figures still in place on the high altar of Cologne Cathedral. The small figure is given presence and grandeur through the cascading folds of his clothing. His swaying posture is typical of the gothic approach to the human body.

A.27-1913