147 - A rare depiction of Saint Martin on foot, carved from linden wood with traces of polychrome paint; the back is partially hollowed out. Standing with his hips slightly shifted, he is clad in armor and a wide cloak, a corner of which he is about to cut off with his sword; his face has realistic features, with a slender nose and prominent cheekbones; his abundant curly hair forms a sort of crown.

A rare depiction of Saint Martin on foot, carved from linden wood with traces of polychrome paint; the back is partially hollowed out. Standing with his hips slightly shifted, he is clad in armor and a wide cloak, a corner of which he is about to cut off with his sword; his face has realistic features, with a slender nose and prominent cheekbones; his abundant curly hair forms a sort of crown. Southern Germany, Ulm or Augsburg, attributed to Gregor Erhart (Ulm, c. 1465/70 – Augsburg, 1540), c. 1480–1500 Height: 102 cm Minor damage; earlier restorations on the lower part of the base Trained in Ulm in the workshop of his father, Michael Erhart (active between 1469 and 1522), Gregor went on to pursue his career in Augsburg, where he is first mentioned in 1494. An accomplished sculptor, he worked in both bronze and stone and collaborated with other Augsburg masters on numerous altarpieces. However, the Virgin of Mercy from the Kaisheim altarpiece in Bavaria—the only work definitively attributed to him—unfortunately disappeared in 1945. Art historians have thus sought to compile a body of sculptures that can be attributed to him. There is general agreement that his style, inherited from his father’s, is characterized by a particular harmony and gentleness, which the famous Mary Magdalene at the Louvre embodies to perfection (inv. RF 1338). Thus, in this Saint Martin in armor, ready to perform his act of charity—originally depicted standing rather than on horseback—we find a peaceful grace marked by great restraint. Provenance: - Collection of Eugène von Miller zu Aicholz (1835–1919), Vienna - Camillo Castiglioni Collection (1879–1957), Vienna (Amsterdam Auction, July 13–15, 1926, Ant. W. M. Mensing, Camillo Castiglioni Collection of Vienna, lot 128, p. 35, Master from Southern Germany, Tyrol, c. 1500) - Jean Bruchet Collection in Belgium Bibliography: - Exhibition: “Martin of Tours: From Legionnaire to Holy Bishop.” Liège, 1994, cat. 13, pp. 128–129 Source consulted: - S. Guillot de Suduiraut, *Devotion and Seduction: Swabian Sculptures in French Museums, ca. 1460–1530*, Paris, 2015, pp. 162–166. Expert: Ms. Laurence FLIGNY