Master of Heiligenblut
A PAIR OF CARVED LIME WOOD FIGURES OF ANGELS PLAYING MUSIC, MASTER OF THE HOLY BLODD
Lindenholz, orig. Fassung (ehem. BNM München u. Slg. Bernheimer)
A lime wood figure of an angel playing music, by the Master of the Heiligenblut, carved in full round, the lower part hollowed out. With original polychromy. On a circular base the standing figure of an angel of high quality, holding a lute. He wears a white garment and a green cloak with rich folds, ornamented with rosettes. The sculpture probably formed part of a large altar depicting the life of the Virgin. Another angel also playing music and forming a counterpart, was also part of the collection of the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich (inv. no. 1721); it has been included in the exhibition of the Rudolf Leopold Collection in Leogang in 2011. The winged altar is datable to around 1520 and was certainly destined for a church in South Tyrol. Its central part depicting the "Death of the Virgin" can today be found in the Angermuseum in Erfurt.
The wings missing, minimal wear. Height 102 cm.
Provenance
Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich(inv. no. 1720). - Otto Bernheimer Collection, Munich (inv. no. 738). - Private collection, Vienna (since 1960's).
Literature
Hugo Graf: Kataloge des Bayerischen Nationalmuseums. vol. 6. Gotische Altertümer der Baukunst und Bildnerei. Munich 1896, no. 1087-1088. - Counterpiece see Exh.-Kat. "Gotiksammlung Rudolf Leopold", ed. by Hermann Mayrhofer, Leogang 2011, p. 106-109, cat. no. 25 (with old ill. of the pair and the Death of St. Mary)