Items Similar to Limestone figure of Virgin and child, Lorraine, 14th century, French Gothic
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 19
UnknownLimestone figure of Virgin and child, Lorraine, 14th century, French Gothiccirca 1330
circa 1330
About the Item
Virgin and Child with Goldfinch
Workshops of Metz, Lorraine, circa 1330
Limestone carved in the round with remains of polychromy
Height: 61 cm
The sculpture of the Virgin and Child that we present belongs, by its stylistic characteristics, to the very specific corpus of Lorraine statuary, where the Marian cult gained momentum at the end of the 13th century, reaching its artistic peak in the years 1320-1340. By its modest dimensions, it is part of the statuary of private devotion, intimate religious practice being increasingly popular.
Standing, slightly swaying, the Virgin carries the infant Jesus on her right arm. The face with its youthful features in the shape of a shield (specific to Lorraine) is framed by delicate wavy locks, enlivened by elongated almond-shaped eyes, a wide and short nose and a mouth with pursed lips. On the head of the Virgin rests a crown with trilobed fleurons on a short veil.
Mary is dressed in a dress and a loose-fitting mantle that, starting from her left shoulder, transforms into an apron above her knees, revealing her waist, which is emphasized by a tight belt that creates pocket-like folds of the dress on the chest. The presence of the delicately sculpted belt with its buckle and its drooping end carries an important meaning in the attributes of Marian worship, the belt being the symbol of chastity.
The movement of the mantle creates uneven falls of the side draperies. On the right, under the child Jesus, its fluted folds cascade richly. On the left, it is the bending of the arm that creates a fall with wider folds.
The drapes of the apron, hollowed out in a rounded shape, are followed in an offset fashion by a few beak-shaped folds created by the movement of the left knee.
The apron-like draping of the coat introduces an important transversal element into the silhouette and is part of the graphic and plastic research of this first third of the 14th century.
The folds of the dress in the lower part are more deeply carved, the sides of the coat skillfully released by the sculptor reveal the Virgin's pointed shoes.
The enveloping movement of the coat encourages one to turn around the work and provides a multitude of points of view, especially since the work is executed in the round.
The child Jesus is dressed in a tunic whose open collar allows one to glimpse a buttoned blouse. The round face with slightly slanted eyes is framed by small, very tight curls from which his large ears emerge. These coiled locks imitate a lamb's fleece, thus constituting a reference to the Passion.
In an affectionate gesture, he pulls with his left hand the strap that attaches the virgin's coat, the sculptor thus creating an emotional interaction between two protagonists.
In his right hand Jesus holds a goldfinch that nibbles his thumb. Symbolically, the presence of this bird announces the coming sacrifice of Christ during the Passion and the blood that will be shed. In addition, this bird eats thistle seeds whose thorns recall Christ's crown.
The gentleness of the Virgin's face, the lively and affectionate attitude of the Child, the suppleness and arrangement of the draperies, the clothing details highlighted by the sculptor contribute to making our sculpture both aesthetic and moving and make it a fine example of Gothic statuary from Lorraine.
The child carried on the right is rather rare in Lorraine iconography (he is usually carried on the left) which requires the sculptor to do additional work in order to reverse the positions and order the draperies from left to right. There are, however, other Lorraine sculptures with the child on the right listed in the reference work on Lorraine statuary in the 14th century by Professor JA Schmoll (among which the Virgin and Child in the Cluny Museum (inv. 18763, cat N° 114)). However, the art historian does not give any specific explanations on the child's disposition; we can only assume that it would probably be a specific request from the commissioner in relation to a chosen location and desired viewing angle.
The work we are presenting can be perfectly compared to a Virgin and Child made in Lorraine around 1340 and kept at the Bavarian National Museum in Munich, which has the same particularity of having the child on the right.
Related works:
• Virgin and Child, Bavarian National Museum in Munich (inv 65/278), limestone, h. 64.5 cm, around 1340, Metz workshop, (reproduced cat. No. 167)
• Virgin and Child, Schnutgen Museum, Cologne, limestone, h. 104 cm, around 1330, Metz workshop, (reproduced cat. No. 145)
• Virgin and Child, Kaisheim Abbey (Bavaria), Germany, h. 80 cm, Metz workshop around 1330 (cat. No. 361)
Bibliography: JA SCHMOLL, gene. Eisenwerth, Die Lothringische Skultur des 14. Jahrunderts, Michael Imhof Verlag, D-36100 Petersberg, 2005
- Creation Year:circa 1330
- Dimensions:Height: 24.02 in (61.02 cm)Width: 9.05 in (22.99 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Head of the Virgin, formerly broken and reglued, missing the Virgin's left hand, missing part of the cloak strap. Head of the child, broken and reglued, missing part of the child's left foot.
- Gallery Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2433216366512
About the Seller
No Reviews Yet
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
1stDibs seller since 2023
15 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 to 2 days
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: PARIS, France
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllA late 17th Italian carved limewood figure of Mermaid, circle of Filippo Parodi
Located in PARIS, FR
A late 17th c. Italian carved figure of Mermaid,
Circle of Filippo Parodi (Genoa, 1630 – July 22, 1702)
Dimensions: h. 29.13 in, w. 30.31 in, p. 18.9 in (at the base)
Magnificent Italian Baroque sculpture depicting a mermaid seated on the rock.
All the virtuosity of the sculptor unfolds in this carved group. The fantastic creature is featured seated, the upper part of the body darting forward, the head looking upwards. Sophisticated hairstyle with rows of pearls intertwined in her hair, her loose locks fly in the wind and bring movement to the whole sculpture.
The wide-open eyes with hollowed-out pupils make it possible to follow the mermaid's gaze, towards the sky. The half-open mouth further magnifies this bewitching and seductive attitude.
Its long double tail ending in fins wraps on either side of a rocky mound strewn with objects evoking the underwater world: seashells and shells, branches of coral.
The ornamental richness combined with the great care taken in its execution make it a work in which the splendor of Italian Baroque art unfolds in such characteristic scenic movement.
The composition betrays a strong influence from Filippo Parodi, the leader of Genoese Baroque sculpture, and points to an artist from his circle.
Our sculpture was probably part of a decorative monumental palace.
The iconographic theme evoking the marine world finds its application in the numerous fountains and artificial grottos, designed in Italian palaces at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Giacomo Filippo Parodi (Genoa 1630 – July 22, 1702) was an Italian Baroque sculptor of the Genoese school, who introduced Bernini's aesthetic to Genoa.
In his youth fathers a first apprenticeship with a carpenter, he went to Rome where he became a pupil of Bernini.
He had the opportunity to admire in person the works and style of the French sculptor Pierre Puget...
Category
Late 17th Century Baroque Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$20,344 Sale Price
20% Off
Virgin with Child & St John, oil on marble, late 16th century Florentine school
By Andrea Del Sarto
Located in PARIS, FR
Virgin with Child & St John, late 16th c. Florentine school
Late 16th c. Florentine school
Virgin with Child and St John the Baptiste
Oil on white marble,
h. 41,5 cm, w. 32 cm
17th L...
Category
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Materials
Marble
Christ and St John the Baptist as children, studio of J. van Cleve, 16th Flemish
By Joos van Cleve
Located in PARIS, FR
Christ and St John the Baptist embracing
Studio of Joos van Cleve (1485 – 1541), Antwerp
First half of 16th century
Oil on oak panel, h. 55 cm, w. 43 cm
A 17th century ebonized wood frame
Framed: h. 100 cm, w. 83 cm
Provenance:
• Advertisement in Burlington Magazine, 1929, at the antique dealer Paul Larsen, 34 Duke's Street, London, United Kingdom
• Clowes Sale, Christie's London, 7 July 1950, lot 153 (as Joos Van Cleve)
• Acquired from the Katz antique dealers in Dieren (Netherlands) in the 1950s (one of the most important art galleries in the Netherlands specialising in Old Masters)
• By descent, private European collection
The composition of our painting depicting two naked babies embracing, Jesus and Saint John the Baptist, draws its source from a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, probably executed in Milan around 1490 (kept at Windsor Castle, United Kingdom).
This scheme, widespread early in the Lombard school, was widely reproduced by Leonardo's Milanese followers (Marco d'Oggiono, Bernardino de Conti or Bernardino Luini.)
It is very likely that Joos Van Cleve was inspired by one of the works of his artists during his stay in Italy, however some historians hypothesize that he borrowed the figures from the painting by Marco d'Oggiono who had copied it on site in Flanders (it would have belonged to Margaret of...
Category
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
The Annunciation, mid-17th century French school
Located in PARIS, FR
The Annunciation
Mid-17th Century French School
Oil on canvas, h. 64 cm, l. 64 cm
17th century carved and giltwood frame decorated with oak leaves and acorns
Framed: h. 80 cm, l. 80...
Category
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Landscape with figures, workshop of Paul Bril, Italian school 17th Century
By Paul Bril
Located in PARIS, FR
Idyllic landscape with myhological story of Cephalus and Procris
Early 17th century Italian school
Workshop Of Paul Bril (Antwerp, 1554 - Roma, 1626)
Oil on poplar panel: H. 28 cm (1...
Category
Early 17th Century Old Masters Landscape Paintings
Materials
Poplar, Oil
The Musical Contest between Apollo and Marsyas, signed P. Sion, Antwerp 17th c.
Located in PARIS, FR
The Musical Contest between Apollo and Marsyas,
by Peter Sion (Antwerp, 1624-1695)
Signed in the lower right corner P. Sion
17th century Antwerp School
Oil on copper, dim. h. 53 cm, ...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oak, Oil, Wood Panel
You May Also Like
Pilgrim polychrome stone figure
Located in PARIS, FR
Pilgrim or saint Jacques figure in sculpted and polychromed limestone. He holds a calabash in his left hand. He probably held the pilgrim's staff in his missing right hand. Very beau...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Gothic Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Limestone
Gothic head of an apostle - 13th century
Located in PARIS, FR
Head of apostle or Christ in carved limestone. Elongated face with a large forehead and long hair with thick wavy locks on the sides.
The almond-shaped eyes are underlined by the hem...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Gothic Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Limestone
Emma
Located in Rye, NY
The piece is based on Australian super-model Emma Champdaloup who really has those planar features, soaring cheekbones and intense gaze. I saw in the piece an archetypal female powe...
Category
2010s Gothic Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Steel
Price Upon Request
CRESCENT MOON MADONNA
Located in Wien, Wien
Master in the circle of Michael Pacher
(Mühlen ca. 1435 - 1498 Salzburg)
Salzburg
Around 1480
Carved limewood
Old polychrome version
Height 118 cm
This Madonna is an outstanding ex...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Gothic Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$168,000
Sitting Madonna
Located in Wien, Wien
Sitting Madonna
Central Italy/Tuscany or Marche
Around 1420
Poplar wood carved
Original version
Height 31 cm
Charming Madonna sculpture from the heyday of the Soft or International...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Gothic Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Gothic Renaissance wooden sculpture: bust of a young Saint or Angel
Located in Norwich, GB
This young saint or angel has suffered over the centuries, but his spirit has not been broken - and miraculously, his beautiful face has remained intact. With a gentle face and an al...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Gothic Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
