SALES ARCHIVE

A STUNNING AND RARE PRE-REFORMATION ENGLISH OAK SCULPTURE OF GOD THE FATHER. CIRCA 1470. CORBY CASTLE, CUMBRIA.

THIS AMAZING OAK SCULPTURE IS HEWN FROM A SINGLE PIECE OF REDDISH BROWN ENGLISH OAK. THE SCULPTURE DEPICTS GOD THE FATHER BEARDED AND CROWNED WITH HIS HANDS RAISED IN BLESSING. HIS CROWN ADORNED WITH LOZENGE DECORATION AND CUSPED FLEURONS TERMINATING IN TREFID LEAVES. HIS FACE HAS A WONDERFUL SOFT EXPRESSION, HIS FLOWING SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR DEEPLY CARVED WITH MOVEMENT AND HIS SUMPTOUS BEARD TERMINATES IN CURLS, WITH HIS HANDS HELD UP IN BLESSING.

THE RARITY OF EARLY ENGLISH DEVOTIONAL SCULPTURE PRIOR TO THE REFORMATION OF THE TUDOR PERIOD CANNOT BE OVER EXAGERATED. DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1530-1640 NEARLY ALL DEVOTIONAL SCULPTURE AND WORKS OF ART WERE DESTROYED EITHER BY LARGE SCALE BONFIRES IN NEARLY EVERY TOWN AND CITY THROUGHOUT THE LAND OR SMASHED TO SMITHEREENS. TODAY MOST CHURCHES AND OTHER SACRED SITES ARE ALMOST EMPTY OF THEIR TREASURES SAVE FOR A SMALL HANDFUL OF CHANCE SURVIVORS.

PROVENANCE- THIS AMAZING ENGLISH SCULPTURE WAS DISCOVERED AT CORBY CASTLE,WETHERAL, CUMBRIA AND ALMOST CERTAINLY ORIGINATED FROM THE NEARBY PARISH CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY, WETHERAL. THIS LIKELY CAME ABOUT WHEN THE SCULPTURE WAS MOVED FOR SAFE KEEPING IN THE EARLY 16TH CENTURY FROM THE CHURCH TO THE NEARBY CASTLE, THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF THE HOWARD FAMILY. A SET OF THREE OAK SCULPTURES DEPICTING A KNIGHT, SQUIRE AND MAN AT ARMS FROM THE SAME WORKSHOP ARE NOW IN THE V AND A MUSEUM.
RECENTLY PURCHASED FROM AN IMPORTANT ENGLISH PRIVATE COLLECTION.

DOCUMENTED AND ILLUSTRATED ON THE WEBSITE- INVISIBLESAINTSMYPARISH.ORG. THIS IS A COMMUNITY DRIVEN WEB BASED PROJECT TO LOCATE, DIGITALLY RECORD AND DOCUMENT THE LONG LOST MEDIEVAL DEVOTIONAL WOOD SCULPTURES OF THE BRITISH ISLES. THE ULTIMATE AIM OF THIS WEB SITE IS TO BRING THESE WORKS OF ART TO LIGHT, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR DOCUMENTATION PURPOSES BUT ALSO FOR FUTURE SCHOLARS, THE WEBSITE WAS COMPILED BY THE WARWICK ARTS DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY.


STOCK NO 1703.


Dimensions:
Height: 21 inches (53.3 cms)
Width: 12 inches (30.5 cms)
Depth: 10 inches (25.4 cms)

SOLD

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