Relief thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture 1300-1600, Room 26

Relief

ca. 1520 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This relief representing an unidentified femal saint probably formed part of a wing of an altarpiece. The style of the drapery and the facial features have their closest affinities with altarpieces produced in the workshop of Jakob Maurus, active in Kempten/Allgäu around 1510-20. Although this is not likely to come from Maurus's own workshop, the scheme of the drapery the physiognomies, and the thick curly locks of hair seen in this relief are stylistically closely related to his work, and were probably made in the region of Kempten, Upper Swabia.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Limewood, painted and gilded
Brief description
Relief, unidentified female saint. Wood polychrome and gilt. Swabian ca. 1520.
Physical description
Relief of an unidentified female saint in limewood. The crowned figure stands, her head slightly inclined to the left. The clock, which falls over her left arm and shoulder is caught up in her right hand. She wears a small cape over a high-waisted gown.
Dimensions
  • Height: 109cm
  • Width: 44cm
  • Depth: 6cm
Gallery label
St Barbara (?) About 1520 This relief, and the other to the far left, was probably made for the wing of an altarpiece. The saint’s left hand may have originally rested on a tower. This would have identified her as St Barbara, who was incarcerated in a tower by her father to protect her from the attention of men. Germany, Upper Swabia Painted and gilded limewood Given by Henry Oppenheimer through the Art Fund Museum no. A.90-1927(26/11/2010)
Credit line
Gift of Mr Henry Oppenheimer through Art Fund
Object history
Probably exhibited at the Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts, USA, before 1927. Acquired by Henry Oppenheimer from an unknown American private collection at an unknown date before 1927. Given by Oppenheimer together with A.90-1927 through the National Art Collection Fund in 1927.

Historical significance: The style of the drapery and the facial features have their closest affinities with altarpieces of Jakob Maurus, active in Kempten/Allgäu in southwest Germany around 1510-20.
Historical context
The reliefs of unidentified female saint and St Catherine (A.89-1927) formed probably originally part of a wing of an altarpiece.
Subject depicted
Summary
This relief representing an unidentified femal saint probably formed part of a wing of an altarpiece. The style of the drapery and the facial features have their closest affinities with altarpieces produced in the workshop of Jakob Maurus, active in Kempten/Allgäu around 1510-20. Although this is not likely to come from Maurus's own workshop, the scheme of the drapery the physiognomies, and the thick curly locks of hair seen in this relief are stylistically closely related to his work, and were probably made in the region of Kempten, Upper Swabia.
Bibliographic reference
Jopek, Nobert. German Sculpture 1430-1540: A Catalogue of the Collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 2002. cat. no. 46b. p. 102.
Collection
Accession number
A.90-1927

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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