A SET OF CARVED OAK FIGURES OF CHRIST AND SEVEN OF THE APOSTLES

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THE GYRN APOSTLES The present set of Christ and seven apostles, along with the four figures offered as lots 21 to 24, are known as the Gyrn Apostles, having been regarded as a set since at least 1831. In that year they were published in a local guide book as being at Gyrn, and were described as 'curious carvings in oak, from the time of Henry the seventh to James the first inclusive, and collected in the neighbourhood'. Lot 20 must represent the surviving elements of a group of Christ and the Twelve Apostles which was later supplemented with four other apostles from different sources. Their Welsh provenance and potential Welsh origin makes them a rare survival.

A SET OF CARVED OAK FIGURES OF CHRIST AND SEVEN OF THE APOSTLES

WELSH OR ENGLISH, LATE 15TH OR EARLY 16TH CENTURY

Details

A SET OF CARVED OAK FIGURES OF CHRIST AND SEVEN OF THE APOSTLES
WELSH OR ENGLISH, LATE 15TH OR EARLY 16TH CENTURY
The apostles including SS. James the Less, Jude Thaddeus, Andrew, John the Evangelist, Simon, James the Great and Thomas each depicted standing and on an integrally carved hexagonal base, the reverse of each apostle unfinished and the reverse of Christ simply finished, the reverse of St. James the Less with paper label inscribed '12', some losses and replacements, minor cracks and damages
26 7/8 to 27¾ in. (68.3 to 70.5 cm) high (8)

Provenance

Collected 'in the neighbourhood' of Gyrn Castle and in situ from at least 1831 when they are mentioned in a local guide book.
Thence by descent.

Literature

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
J. Leeuwenberg and W. Halsema-Kubes, Beeldhouwkunst in Het Rijksmuseum - catalogus, Amsterdam, 1973, no. 48, pp. 79-80.
M. van Vlierden, Hout- en steensculptuur van Museum Catharijneconvent ca. 1200-1600, pp. 109-110.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This set of Christ and seven of the twelve apostles shows a strong influence - particularly in the facial types - from the Netherlands. The heavy-lidded, almond-shaped eyes, high-bridged nose and slightly sloping foreheads are all reminiscent, for example, of the Virgin from a group of the Virgin and Child in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, which is catalogued as 'Holland, circa 1500' (see Leeuwenberg, loc. cit.). However, stylistic variations suggest that the present set may have been carved in Wales or England under Netherlandish influence.

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