THE DEATH OF THE VIRGIN
Artist Sculptor of Allgeau active circa 1500
Date 1500-1510
Object type sculpture Medium, technique limewood
Dimensions 98 x 100 x 22 cm, 44 kg Inventory number 84.3
Collection Sculptures
On view Museum of Fine Arts, Second Floor, European Sculpture 1350-1800, Gallery 1
Death of the Virgin is only mentioned in the Apocrypha and the depiction of the scene became common in the early Middle Ages. On the relief, the Virgin Mary is praying on her knees, surrounded by apostles holding candles and burning incense.
The image has its origins in Bohemia; it later spread to Austria and southern Germany. The best-known figurine of this type of the Virgin can be seen in the high altar of Saint Mary’s Church in Cracow, carved by Veit Stoss (ca. 1445/1450 – ca. 1533). The master of the Budapest relief was probably familiar with the aforementioned altarpiece, as Mary and some of the apostles are quite similar to those in Cracow.
References
Balogh, Jolán – Szmodisné Eszláry, Éva, Katalog der ausländischen Bildwerke des Museums der bildenden Künste in Budapest, 4.-18. Jahrhundert, Bd. 3. Neuerwerbungen, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1994, p. 61-62., no.
45.
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