SALES ARCHIVE

AN EXTREMELY RARE ENGLISH 12TH CENTURY PASCHAL LIMESTONE CANDLESTICK SECTION. YORKSHIRE. CIRCA 1150.

THIS ASTONISHING RARE LIMESTONE CANDLESTICK WAS DISCOVERED IN A GARDEN NEAR HUDDERSFIELD, YORKSHIRE. SCULPTURED FROM MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE WHICH ORIGINATES IN THE NORTH EASTERN PART OF ENGLAND AND WAS USED FOR MUCH OF THE MEDIEVAL STONEWORK IN YORK. ORIGINALLY TALLER IN HEIGHT WITH PROBABLY A CAPITAL AT THE TOP. ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN, ALL OF THESE RARE CANDLESTICKS FEATURE ENTWINED BEASTS AND MEN ARE AT THERE BASES. THIS ENGLISH EXAMPLE IS NO EXCEPTION. THIS EXAMPLE SHOWS FOUR WOLFLIKE BEASTS ONE AT EACH CORNER TRYING TO ASCEND TO THE LIGHT, BETWEEN EACH WOLF ARE ENTWINED MALE FIGURES BEING TRAMPLED BY THE WOLF LIKE BEASTS, THIS SYMBOLISES HUMANITYS STRUGGLE AGAINST DARKNESS, A STRUGGLE WHICH COULD BE ULTIMATELY WON BY THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLE TO SIGNIFY CHRISTS RESURECTION. THE STEM IS BEAUTIFULLY CARVED WITH ENTWINED FOILAGE ,TREFOILS AND CROSSES.

THE PASCHAL CANDLESTICK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CANDLESTICK IN THE CHURCH AND IS LIT FOR THE WHOLE OF THE EASTER CELEBRATION TO SIGNIFY THE RESURECTION OF CHRIST.

A TRULY RARE EXAMPLE OF A ROMANESQUE PASCHAL CANDLESTICK, YORKSHIRE. CIRCA 1150.

MINOR LOSSES.

FOR A MUCH LARGER 12TH CENTURY EXAMPLE SEE THE IMAGE ATTACHED IN ST PAULS BASILICA, ROME, AGAIN IT HAS STRANGE BEASTS AT EACH CORNER.

PROVENANCE- FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTION.


STOCK NO 1712.


Dimensions:
Height: 22.5 inches (57.2 cms)
Width: 9 inches (22.9 cms)
Depth: 9 inches (22.9 cms)

SOLD

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