37 - ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON SOUTHERN GERMANY, SECOND HALF OF THE 15TH CENTURY Carved wooden sculpture. Dimensions: 66 x 64 x 18 cm. The group depicts Saint George on horseback in the act of piercing the dragon—which lies at the horse’s feet—with his long lance. The saint is depicted according to late medieval chivalric iconography, clad in armor and with his head protected by a helmet, while the horse, captured in motion, contributes to the composition’s marked dynamic quality. The work can be traced to the tradition of late-Gothic wood sculpture in the Germanic region, where the theme of Saint George enjoyed particular popularity during the 15th century. The compact construction of the group, the rendering of the armor, the vigorous characterization of the horse, and the narrative emphasis on the battle with the dragon suggest, for attribution purposes, a possible origin in southern Germany during the second half of the fifteenth century. Similar groups are documented particularly in the Swabian region and neighboring areas, frequently carved from linden wood and originally polychromed and gilded. CONDITION REPORT Minor defects, cracks, and losses.