St. Matthew thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

St. Matthew

Panel
ca. 1830-40 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This panel, part of a four panel relief is representing St Matthew and is made circa between 1830-40 in Germany.

Although the carver rendered the hands and faces of the Evangelists more or less skillfully, other elements such as the ox, the piles of books, the tracery, and even the schematic drapery are relatively clumsily carved. For these reasons it may be suggested that the four reliefs were made in the first half of the 19th century. They were perhaps historicizing pieces, possibly made in about 1830-40 in a workshop which was highly receptive to the neo-Gothic style, perhaps to decorate a pulpit (as would have been appropriate for these subjects), and quickly removed from their original context, or never used.
Alternatively the present pieces may have been made to deceive, and sold by an unscrupulous dealer as genuine 15th century pieces.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSt. Matthew (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Glazed limewood carved in relief
Brief description
Panel, relief, St. Matthew, by an unknown artist, made ca. 1830-40, Germany
Physical description
First piece of a four part panel relief carved in limewood showing St. Matthew in profile seated on a chair, wearing a cloak and cap. He holds the board of a lectern with his right hand, while with his raised left hand he receives the scroll proffered by the hovering angel approaching him from the right. He looks up towards the angel.
The whole relief comprises five pieces of wood nailed and dowelled together, with a cramp at the bottom.
Dimensions
  • Height: 56.5cm
  • Width: 48.5cm
  • Depth: 6cm
Object history
Formerly in the David Falcke Collection, London. Falke Sale, Christie and Manson, London, 19 April 1858, lot 2886. Bought for £4 4s for each panel.
Historical context
Although the carver rendered the hands and faces of the Evangelists more or less skillfully, other elements such as the ox, the piles of books, the tracery, and even the schematic drapery are relatively clumsily carved. For these reasons it may be suggested that the four reliefs were made in the first half of the 19th century. They were perhaps historicizing pieces, possibly made in about 1830-40 in a workshop which was highly receptive to the neo-Gothic style, perhaps to decorate a pulpit (as would have been appropriate for these subjects), and quickly removed from their original context, or never used.
Alternatively the present pieces may have been made to deceive, and sold by an unscrupulous dealer as genuine 15th century pieces.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This panel, part of a four panel relief is representing St Matthew and is made circa between 1830-40 in Germany.

Although the carver rendered the hands and faces of the Evangelists more or less skillfully, other elements such as the ox, the piles of books, the tracery, and even the schematic drapery are relatively clumsily carved. For these reasons it may be suggested that the four reliefs were made in the first half of the 19th century. They were perhaps historicizing pieces, possibly made in about 1830-40 in a workshop which was highly receptive to the neo-Gothic style, perhaps to decorate a pulpit (as would have been appropriate for these subjects), and quickly removed from their original context, or never used.
Alternatively the present pieces may have been made to deceive, and sold by an unscrupulous dealer as genuine 15th century pieces.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1858. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 18
  • Jopek, Norbert. German Sculpture 1430-1540, A Catalogue of the Collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London, 2002, pp. 151-153, cat.no. 71a.
  • Jopek, Norbert. German Sculpture 1430-1540, A Catalogue of the Collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London, 2002, pp. 151-153, cat.no. 716
Collection
Accession number
4841-1858

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Record createdJune 11, 2009
Record URL
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