Relief figure of St. Afra; on the reverse: a painted depiction of St. Afra; movable wing of a winged altarpiece
1490-1500
Pine, limewood, tempera
150 x 64 x 7.5 cm
Inv. 56.910
The former inner, feast-day side of an altarpiece wing shows the standing relief figure of St. Afra against a gold background. The gold background was perhaps originally framed by a pair of columns that supported pierced vine ornamentation. Today small fragments of this can be seen on the upper slat of the frame. The band under the figure’s feet may have provided space for carved decoration or an inscription.
It was very unusual that a depiction of St. Afra appeared on the outer, workday side, too. The fragment of the blue background behind the saint has survived only on the right side of the painting, where a part of the painted vine ornamentation can also be seen above the figure.
Veneration of St. Afra was particularly widespread in the area of Augsburg and in Swabian territory. The stylistic connections of the carving and the type of gold patterned background point to a Swabian workshop.
Provenance:
Ipolyi collection. ‘171. Altarpiece shrine, a low relief on one side of the shrine: figure of a female saint tied to a column (St. Afra), on a gold ground, very roughly painted. The same female saint is painted on the reverse, on a dark blue ground. 15th-16th c. Extensively retouched.’ (Lakatos-Balla 291) The inventory record stating that Simor purchased the work in 1884 from the Schnütgen collection is incorrect.
Restoration:
Zsuzsanna Syõnyi (relief side), 1982; Anna Mária Tarbay (painted side), 1985
It was very unusual that a depiction of St. Afra appeared on the outer, workday side, too. The fragment of the blue background behind the saint has survived only on the right side of the painting, where a part of the painted vine ornamentation can also be seen above the figure.
Veneration of St. Afra was particularly widespread in the area of Augsburg and in Swabian territory. The stylistic connections of the carving and the type of gold patterned background point to a Swabian workshop.
Provenance:
Ipolyi collection. ‘171. Altarpiece shrine, a low relief on one side of the shrine: figure of a female saint tied to a column (St. Afra), on a gold ground, very roughly painted. The same female saint is painted on the reverse, on a dark blue ground. 15th-16th c. Extensively retouched.’ (Lakatos-Balla 291) The inventory record stating that Simor purchased the work in 1884 from the Schnütgen collection is incorrect.
Restoration:
Zsuzsanna Syõnyi (relief side), 1982; Anna Mária Tarbay (painted side), 1985
