Lot 1502 Dα

No concert of angels proclaiming the birth, no shepherds guarding their flocks. The eschewing of the narrative details usually present in 15th century Nativity scenes is unusual even considering the fact that this panel has been truncated on all sides.
The elegant appearance of the Virgin, whose long golden brown hair falls in soft waves over her shoulders, and the pale, bright colour palette of the work are all reminiscent of the Upper Rhenish interpretation of the International Style. However, the repression of the lyricism typical of the Upper Rhenish “Master of the Little Garden of Paradise”, which had such a significant influence in the first half of the 15th century, shows that the artist was also familiar with the revolutionary developments of the “ars nova”, at least through contact with prints.
This is illustrated by the bold outlines, sculptural modelling of the drapery, and the striving for realism, visible for example in the rickety construction of the stable or details such as the burning log on the right. In the foreground of the scene we see two loaves of bread, a conspicuous reference to Christ's figurative status as the bread of life and the sacrificial character of his incarnation. However, the artist does not allow the work to become overloaded with such details, concentrating his attention on the central intimate scene of the adoration.
One stylistically comparable work is the Nativity scene in the altarpiece formerly housed in the Dominican Abbey of Adelhausen near Freiburg, which is dated slightly earlier to around 1450/60 (now housed in the Augustinermuseum Freiburg, inv. no. 11503). The work displays parallels in both the composition and colour palette. The two works represent rare testimonies to a period of transition in the art of the Upper Rhine Region shortly before it was superseded by the pervasive influence of Martin Schongauer, which makes this an especially significant work.
We would like to thank Dr. Anna Moraht-Fromm for her kind support in cataloguing this work.