Sculptures

This sculpture, carved in southern Germany in the early 16^th century from a single piece of lime wood, would have been placed in the cabinet of an altarpiece. On the reverse side, notches and nail holes are visible: these were used to attach the X shaped cross of Saint Andrew. After restoration to remove areas of repainting, the rich polychromy covering the work was revealed, and the original gilding exposed. The saint’s emaciated face, with his almond-shaped eyes and his half-open mouth, has a deep intensity. His beard and hair are rendered in a regular, almost simplified way, bringing a decorative note to the work. A sweeping cloak, golden on the outside, with numerous stiff broken folds, hints at the movement of his slightly bent left leg.