- 176
Attributed to the workshop of Michel Erhart (c. 1440 to 1445 – after 1522 Ulm) German, Ulm, circa 1490
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description
- St George and the Dragon
- gilt and polychromed limewood
- Attributed to the workshop of Michel Erhart (c. 1440 to 1445 – after 1522 Ulm) German, Ulm, circa 1490
Exhibited
Les Sculptures médiévales allemandes dans les collections belges, 6 october- 30 november 1977, R. Didier, H. Krohm, P. Kurmann, Brussels, 1977, cat. no. 32, pp. 76-77
Condition
Standard surface abrasions, small losses, and chipping of paint. Losses include tips of fingers on proper right hand and thumb on proper left hand, end of dragon's tail and tip of his tongue. Tip of saint's proper right foot reattached. Lower portion of base is later. Spear in saint's hand is later. Some worming particularly on reverse has been consolidated with wax. Paint refreshed. Beautifully carved with beautiful detail.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
The late Gothic sculptor Michel Erhart and his sons Gregor and Bernard were employed in the workshop of Jörg Syrlin the Elder and after 1474, he established his own workshop in Ulm. The style of the present figure is indicative of the workshop's production in the 1490s. The recurring drapery schemes, including the bold diagonal line of the partly lifted and gathered mantel, displayed in Gregor Erhart's angel from circa 1490-1500 (Ulm, cit., cat. no. 59) is duplicated in the present figure of Saint George. The characteristic long tresses falling on his shoulders and terminating in tight curls, the relatively short nose, the dimpled chin, and the strong brow coupled with the oblong shape of the face with high forehead are specifically evident here. These motifs are also apparent in the Madonna and Child, by Gregor Erhart and workshop circa 1490-94 from Blaustein-Ehrenstein (Ulm, cit., cat. no. 53).
The majority of altarpieces and sculptures by both Michel and Gregor are lost and attempts to isolate Gregor's work from his father's continue to challenge scholars.
The majority of altarpieces and sculptures by both Michel and Gregor are lost and attempts to isolate Gregor's work from his father's continue to challenge scholars.
RELATED LITERATURE
Michel Erhart & Jörg Syrlin d. Ä. Spatgotik in Ulm, exhibition catalogue, Ulmer Museum, 2002;
Michael Baxandall, The Limewood Sculptors of Renaissance Germany, New Haven, 1980.