Statue thumbnail 1
Statue thumbnail 2
+8
images
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

This object consists of 3 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Statue

ca. 1505 (made)
Artist/Maker
Riemenschneider, Tilman (maker)
Place of origin
Würzburg (made)

This figure of a kneeling angel is one of a pair. They were designed to flank the tabernacles that held the Holy Sacrament in a Christian church.

This pair are similar to other pairs of kneeling angels by the German sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider (died 1531). The pairs in Rotheburg and Würzburg are larger and more elaborate. The V&A pair are more like a pair in Eisenach. This suggests that two standardised types were produced.

Object details

Category
Sculpture
Object type
Statue
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Statue
  • Fragment
  • Candlestick
Materials and techniques
Carved limewood, with traces of polychromy
Brief description
An Angel holding a Candlestick, carved limewood with traces of polychromy, by Tilman Riemenschneider, Würzburg (Germany), ca. 1505
Dimensions
  • Height: 63cm
  • Width: 36.1cm
  • Depth: 20cm
  • Weight: 6.16kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Production
Probably from the parish church in Külsheim in Baden.
Summary
This figure of a kneeling angel is one of a pair. They were designed to flank the tabernacles that held the Holy Sacrament in a Christian church.

This pair are similar to other pairs of kneeling angels by the German sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider (died 1531). The pairs in Rotheburg and Würzburg are larger and more elaborate. The V&A pair are more like a pair in Eisenach. This suggests that two standardised types were produced.
Bibliographic references
  • Weber 1888, pp. 54-5. Oechelhäuser 1898, pp. 179. Tönnies 1900, pp. 272-73. Weber 1911, p. 232. Review 1912, p. 4, pl. 2. Schrade 1927, II, p. 32. Bier 1930, p. 38, note 1. Freeden 1952, p. 38 fig. 92. Baxandall 1974, p. 46, no. 9. Freeden 1976, pl. 37. Bier 1982, p.123. Kalden 1990, p.111, note 411. Penny 1993, p.130, fig. 120. Exh. Baltimore/London 1997/2000, p.193, no. 65.
  • Jopek, Nobert. German Sculpture 1430-1540: a Catalogue of the Collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 2002. cat. no. 18. pp. 56-58.
  • Baker, Malcolm, and Brenda Richardson (eds.), A Grand Design: The Art of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V&A Publications, 1999.
  • Lichte, Claudia (ed.), Tilman Riemenschneider, Regensburg : Schnell + Steiner, 2004 no.41
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.17:1, 2-1912

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Record createdNovember 26, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70780/statue-riemenschneider-tilman/
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