South German, Franconian, early 16th century

London, Christie's, 18 July 1977, lot 121;

London, Sotheby's, 9 December 2005, lot 28;

Where acquired.

Formerly a part of a predella for an altarpiece, Christ is shown here flanked by the twelve apostles. The figures in the foreground are draped in garments with folds that vary from sweeping U-shapes to sharply angled pleats. This pattern of drapery— with bold curves punctuated by sharply defined creases—reflects the influence of Tilman Riemenschneider, the foremost South German limewood sculptor, active during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. This distinctive interplay of curves and crisp lines can be observed in many of his works; for one such example see the apostles featured in the Virgin Mary's altar in the Herrgottskirche Church in Creglingen, Germany.