Status, the Virgin and Child. Austrian, perhaps Salzburg, about 1480.

The Virgin stands on a crescent moon, supporting the naked Christ Child on her left arm. Her right hand probably, originally held a flower. She wears a high belted gown under a heavy mantle, which is drawn across her body, descending in angular parallel folds, the end gathered up over her left arm. The mantle is held by a cord across the chest. Her wavy hair falls over her shoulders and is held by a hair band. The naked Christ Child turns away from the Virgin, holding in his right hand a teething sponge covered in linen with a circular hole in the top; this probably supported a goldfinch (now lost) pecking at the sponge, which would have symbolized the Passion. The figure is carved from one piece of wood, with the exception of the hands which have been inserted. The back has been hollowed out. The Virgin's blue mantle is gilded, and a small number of wood studs (some are missing) decorate the border; originally silvered paper discs were attached to the border of the blue inner surface. the green-lined gown and the girdle were originally silvered with a textured pattern, although much of the silvered layer is lost; the white gesso layer and traces of silver, are visible on the Virgin's chest. The base with the crescent moon, once silvered, is green; the protruding shoe is over painted in red. The Virgin's and the Christ Child's hair are yellow and brown respectively. The index and small finger of the Virgin's right hand, the morse on the cord, and the Christ Child's left forearm are missing. A label with the inscription "1 stuck von 22" [one of twenty-two pieces] is glued to the back of the head.

Said to have come from Steinach am Brenner in the Tyrol this putativr provenance is probably erroneous. Given by Frederick Leverton Harris, London in 1913.

A figure of a female saint, perhaps Saint Barabara, formrly in the collection of Dr Peter hierzenberger of Vienna (Sotheby's, London 3 April, 1984, lot.13) and another Virgin and Child (in the collection of the kunstmuseum, Unser Lieben Frauen, Magdeburg) show smiliar drappery schemes and facial types. The stylistic formula points to a workshp in Salzburg rather than to the Tyrol, and all these figures can be closely related to the figures of a Standing Virgin and Child, St Barabara and st Margaret in the Church of Fridolfing, of about 1480. The high forehead of the present Virgin is also comparable with the similar physiognomy of a figure of St catherine of about 1500-10 in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich ascribed by Muller (Die Bildwerke in Holz, Ton und Stein, 145-1540, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum 1959) to a workshop in Salzburg.

perhaps Salzburg

This limewood statue of the Virgin and Child was made in Austria, perhaps Salzburg, in about 1480. At the time of acquisition this status was classified as Tyrolese, early 16th, but this is probably incorrect. A figure of a female saint, perhaps St. Barbara, formerly in the collection of Dr. Peter Hierzenberger of Vienna, and another Virgin and Child in the collection of the Kunstmuseum, Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen, Magdeburg, show similar drapery schemes and facial types. The stylistic formula points to a workshop in Salzburg rather than to the Tyrol, and all these figures can be closely related to the figures of a Standing Virgin and Child, St. Barbara and St. Margaret in the church in Fridolfing, of about 1480. The high forehead of the present virgin is also comparable with the similar physiognomy of a figure of St. Catherine of about 1500-1010, ascribed by Müller to a workshop in Salzburg.

A.35-1913