Virgin and Child

The group is based on an Upper Rhenish sculpture of the late 15th century. Although this composition follows its late medieval sources quite convincingly, the arrangement of the drapery at the back and the treatment of the throne are the invention of a 19th century carver. Other versions exist of the composition in materials such as bloodstone, porphyry, ivory, marble and boxwood, indicating that many version were made to be sold to a wide range of collectors. Like many impressive objects of dubious authenticity it was once in the Spitzer collection for which it may have originally been made.