St Margaret and the Dragon thumbnail 1
St Margaret and the Dragon thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 50b, The Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery

St Margaret and the Dragon

Statue
1530-1540 (made)
Place of origin
Troyes (made)

The statue came originally from the parish church of St Germain, near Troyes. Its a typical example of the best sculpture executed in Troyes during the early sixteenth century. St Margaret is shown with her symbol of the dragon. Pregnant women called upon her to protect them in childbirth because of her miraculous escape from the belly of a dragon.


Object details

Category
Christianity
Object type
Statue
TitleSt Margaret and the Dragon (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Limestone, carved
Limestone
Carving
Brief description
St Margaret and the Dragon; Stone French 16th cent
Physical description
The saints stands, her hands clasped before her in prayer. Between her feet facing to the left uis a winged dragon which bites at her robe.Notable are the finely cut flower bandeau binding the hair which falls in waving curls over her shoulder.
Dimensions
  • Height: 113cm
  • Width: 46.8cm
  • Depth: 33cm
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Style
Renaissance
Credit line
Purchased by the John Webb Trust
Object history
Purchased from Messrs. Wippel & Co. Ltd.

Historical significance: The statue, which was originally painted and gilded, is a typical example of the best sculpture executed in Troyes during the early sixteenth century. The attention of detail in the rendering of garments and ornament and the roundet type of face with almond-shaped eyes are characteristic.
Historical context
From the church of St Germain, near Troyes.
Subject depicted
St. Margaret
Summary
The statue came originally from the parish church of St Germain, near Troyes. Its a typical example of the best sculpture executed in Troyes during the early sixteenth century. St Margaret is shown with her symbol of the dragon. Pregnant women called upon her to protect them in childbirth because of her miraculous escape from the belly of a dragon.
Bibliographic references
  • Sculpture from Troyes in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London, 1974.
  • Cf. Koechlin, R. La sculpture à Troyes et dans la Champagne méridionale au seizième siècle : étude sur la transition de l'art gothique à l'italianisme. Paris, 1900. figs. 67, 68.
  • Cf. Le Musée de Cluny: la pierre, le marbre l'albâtre, la terre cuit. Paris, 1895. no. 705.
  • Cf. Aubert, M. Description raisonnée des sculptures du Moyen-âge, de la Renaissance, et des temps modernes. 1, Moyen-âge / Musée national du Louvre. Paris, 1950. vol I. no. 390. p. 273.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.4-1947

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Record createdFebruary 11, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O187332/st-margaret-and-the-dragon-statue/
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