Provenance:
Kunsthandlung Madl, Vienna, 1920s, from where acquired by Leopoldine Katharina Kutter, Vienna;
In Kutters´ possession until 1964;
Sold through the mediation of Dr. Kurt Rossacher in 1965 to Prof. Anton Dermota, hon. ‘Kammersänger’, Vienna, in whose family it remained until 2020.
Exhibition:
Schöne Madonnen 1350–1450, exh. cat., Salzburger Domkapitel, Domoratorien, Salzburg,
7 June –15 September 1965, p. 91 cat. no. 40, fig. 27, listed as Innviertel region around Ried, ecclesiastical province of Salzburg, diocese of Passau.
Related literature:
Karl IV. Kaiser von Gottes Gnaden. Kunst und Repräsentation des Hauses Luxemburg 1310–1437, exh. cat., Prague 2006, Munich/Berlin 2006.
Expertise by Dr. Kurt Rossacher, 2 November 1965
In his expertise Dr. Kurt Rossacher placed the artist in Tyrol. A stylistically comparable Madonna can be found in the Museum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck that has the same polished, white ivory paint as well as silver-alloyed gold around the hem: this technique involves placing goldleaf on silverleaf to produce a cooler shade of gold. Dr. Rossacher: “To summarise, the figure can be described as an exquisite and particularly appealing example of a small ‘Beautiful Madonna’ sculpture of around 1420, probably created in Tyrol and with paint of high quality, intended for the rooms of a prelate or a monastery treasury.”
The Virgin Mary is lightly holding the naked Christ Child, supporting her arm on her jutting left hip. To counterbalance the hip she leans her body far to the left and her head to the right. The overall posture describes the typical curve rather like the letter ‘S’. The white robe with a blue lining falls in a cascade of deep bowl-shaped folds. The body is barely recognisable; only the tip of the right foot of the free leg peeks out at the bottom of the robe. The Virgin appears lost in thought, her gaze passing beyond the viewer.
The Christ Child establishes no direct eye contact either. With his right hand he is holding his mother’s veil, pulling it playfully towards him.
The figure carved in the round stands on an octagonal plinth, the straight, long front forming the principal aspect. Nevertheless, the sculpture is not intended to be viewed from just one angle, offering as it does new and delightful perspectives from all sides.
A new type of Madonna
From the last third of the 14th century onwards a new type of Madonna became widespread in several areas in Europe. The Virgin, clothed in a voluminous mantle, is shown holding the Christ Child lying or sitting on her arm. The soft, flowing cascade of folds in the garment and the pronounced jutting hip are typical. Together with the upper body leaning to counterbalance this, the figures gain their ‘S’ shape. The graceful formal language, the curved body and the beautiful linear clarity of the generous folds led to this type of sculpture to be referred to as ‘Schöne Madonnen’ (‘Beautiful Madonnas)´.
Charles IV
This new style originated in Bohemia and in the circle of the Imperial Court of Charles IV (1316 Prague–1378 Prague) and reflects the imperial desire for representation. Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Italy and Holy Roman Emperor, was a descendant of the House of Luxembourg. From 1323, from the age of seven, he enjoyed a comprehensive education at the French Court where the later Pope Clement VI was among his teachers. The refined artistic style at the French Court influenced his taste in art. On returning to Prague Charles IV championed the fine arts.
On the occasion of the city being made into an archbishopric by Pope Clement in 1344, the foundation stone for St. Vitus Cathedral was laid. Charles IV summoned Matthias of Arras and, following the latter’s death, Peter Parler to the cathedral workshop at St. Vitus. The first ‘Beautiful Madonna’ was reputedly made by a member of the Parler family, although there is no documentary evidence to support this. After their success in Prague ‘Beautiul Madonnas’ became widespread in Silesia, Austria and Bavaria. The oldest known examples are made of fine limestone, the so-called opaka or pläner rock that was quarried near Prague. Later cast stone and wood were used. The various artistic disciplines at the court in Prague, including architecture, sculpture, painting and manuscript painting reveal stylistic similarities that can be coined as the imperial Charles IV style.
Marian devotion
In addition, the veneration of the Virgin Mary became increasingly popular. Initiated by the Teutonic Order in Bohemia it then spread to Austria and Bavaria. The best-known Madonnas are the ‘Beautiful Madonna of Toruń’ and the ‘Krumlov Madonna’, both dating from around 1390–1400. They define a style adopted in numerous later sculptures.
Our Madonna can be easily compared to the ‘Judenburg Madonna’ (fig. 1 Stadtpfarrkirche St. Nikolaus in Judenburg), created slightly later, around 1420, probably in Salzburg. Like most ‘Beautiful Madonnas’ it is carved in stone and, at a height of 145 cm, it is much larger than ours.
The posture, the curved body, the white garment with a blue lining and gold trim, as well as the mass of material and cascades of folds on both sides of the figure are almost identical. The Christ Child similarly tugs at his mother’s veil with his right hand. The Judenburg Madonna has several revered related works in the Salzburg region such as the so-called ‘Maria Säul’ in St. Peter’s Abbey and the ‘Unteraurach Madonna’, originally in the parish church of St. Blasius in Salzburg, now in the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum. Variations on this style also emerged in Bavaria, such as the Madonna in the cloisters of the former Klarissenkloster in Regensburg (cast stone, h. 153 cm).
Compared to other Madonnas our figure, with a height of 50.5 cm, is relatively small. It was certainly intended for private devotional prayer.
