Figures of the Madonna and Child and a bishop

Altar group sculptures, 14th/15th century.

Madonna and Child - figure made of one piece of wood, flat cut, hollow at the back, originally polychrome; height 72 cm. State of preservation: no traces of paint from the original polychrome, part of the pedestal and a fragment of the dress on the right side at the bottom are missing.

Bishop - figure made of one piece of wood, , flat cut, hollow at the back, originally polychrome; height: 79 cm. State of preservation: no traces of paint from the original polychrome, left hand missing.

Modeling of both sculptures flat, the body compact. Characteristic are the wrinkles of the material resembling spoon-like depressions and the modeling of convex eyeballs. Attention is also drawn to the primitive modeling of the hands. These features bring the sculptures closer to the stylistic-iconographic type called Madonnas on a lion, which appeared in Central European sculpture in the 2nd quarter of the 14th century. Stylistic and comparative analysis allows linking them to the Madonna of Jeziernik (now in the National Museum in Gdansk), which was made in a Gdansk workshop. The sculptures presented at the auction are an exceptional rarity on the antiquarian market.
Provenance: private collection of Edward Lipinski (1888-1986). Original origin unknown.
Literature: Monika Jakubek-Raczkowska, Plastyka średniowieczna od XIII do XVI wieku, Gdańsk 2007