Western Europe, France or northern Italy, Medieval period, Gothic, ca. 13th century CE. A splendid limestone torso of a young man, likely from a cathedral, draped in a V-neck tunic with a twisted belt. Seemingly holding an object in his left arm, the figure leans to his right as he bends his right arm at the elbow to extend his now-absent forearm forward. The delicate folds of fabric fall down his flat chest in an almost uniform fashion, typical of Gothic sculpture. This sculpture likely represented a saint or another holy figure. Gothic sculpture was a sculpture style that flourished in Europe during the Middle Ages, from about mid-12th century to the 16th century, evolving from Romanesque sculpture and dissolving into Renaissance sculpture and Mannerism. Size: 11.3" L x 17" W x 15.8" H (28.7 cm x 43.2 cm x 40.1 cm)
When the classical values started to be appreciated again in the Renaissance, the sculpture from the previous centuries was seen as shapeless and rough and was given the name of Gothic, since it was believed to come from the culture of the Goths, people considered barbaric and supposedly responsible for the disappearance of the Roman Empire.
Provenance: private Owen collection, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA, acquired from a New York, USA dealer in the 1980s
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#181677
Condition
Fragment of a larger piece with chips, nicks, and abrasions as shown, commensurate with age. Nice remaining detail. Encrustations and mineral deposits in areas.