Virgin and Child

In northern Europe the altarpiece was the most important type of sculpture in wood. The structure of a winged altarpiece was dominated by the central panel, the corpus, and its figures. The wings carried relief carvings, figures or narrative paintings. The predella often contained busts of apostles or saints. The crowning superstructure was usually decorated with finials and small figures. On certain days and during Lent the corpus and the predella were closed from view.

This carving is probably from the crowning superstructure of an altarpiece, perhaps one that had scenes from the Life of the Virgin. It would have been flanked by figures of saints and surrounded by foliage. Such figures were usually carved in the round and were smaller in scale than the sculptures in the corpus below.