Rare Medieval Oak Sculpture

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Monday, October 17, 2016

The Rairity of English pre-reformation sculpture cannot be over exaggerated,
When the reformation of the churches cathedrals and sacred sites of England occurred in 1530 under the reign of Henry the V111 all devotional medieval works of art were destroyed by huge bonfires  or smashed to smithereens in all towns and cities of England.
Only small numbers survive, churches, cathedrals and sites of worship were stripped of almost all there medieval treasures, sculpture, music, stain glass, the list goes on! In today's churches very little survives, That is why the inclusion to our collection of two Extremerly rare 15th century English sculptures cannot be under exaggerated, these fine oak sculptures are among a handful of English devotional sculptures to survive.
One large early 15th century example of St Peter, wearing the papal crown dates to the early 15th century, circa 1420, rediscovered in the 1980s above a doorway in a Wolverhampton public house, and originally from the nearby church of St Peter the carving is absolutely sublime, from when it was discovered it has remained in an important English collection until we managed to acquire it recently.
We were delighted to be the custodians until another collector has the honour of owning it.
The second carving of God The Father with Crown and his hands held in blessing is from the late 15th century, discovered at Corby Castle ,Wetheral, in Cumbria in July 1994 and most likely to have originally been in the church of the Holy Trinity of Wetheral. It again demonstrates  the quality of Medieval English sculpture, this 15th century carved oak Bust of God The Father, bears the same carving style and characteristics of the carver who carved the three sculptures now in the V & A museum originally from Naworth Castle, Cumbria, the seat of the Dacre family the medieval Earls of Carlisle and now passed to the Howard family. These are but two of the very rare sculptures from medieval England to survive.
Antique English Carvings
Antique English Carvings