776 - Saint in a Cowl

Saint in a Cowl Italy In the Soft Style, c. 1380–1400 Carved from walnut Height 51.5 cm On a later wooden plinth Around 1400, a formal language developed in European sculpture characterised by softly flowing robes, curved contours and a refined treatment of the figures. The term, known in German-speaking countries as the ‘Soft Style’, is associated with International Gothic, which also took on diverse regional forms in Italy. In Italian sculpture, one encounters correspondingly softly modelled facial features and voluminous, rhythmically arranged folds, which both conceal and sculpturally enhance the physical appearance of the saints. It is within this stylistic context that the present figure of a saint in a cowl, dated to around 1380–1400 and attributed to an Italian workshop, can be viewed. Carved from walnut, the figure has an elongated body, the posture of which is only subtly revealed beneath the largely closed robe. Whilst the fabric lies flat against the body in places, it unfolds into lavish, cascading folds at the arms and sides. The cloak, which reaches down to the neck, forms rounded, bowl-shaped folds of varying shapes across the upper body. Several overlapping panels of fabric give the impression of a cloak draped around the body. The folds sweeping outwards at the sides broaden the silhouette and lend the slender figure additional volume. The shoes are visible beneath the lowest hem of the garment. The interplay between areas of fabric close to the body and softly flowing drapery reflects the decorative approach to clothing typical of the period around 1400. The elongated proportions and the three-dimensionally prominent folds are also reminiscent of the Italian Gothic conception of the human figure, as characterised by Giovanni Pisano. In particular, the combination of fabric draped close to the body and sections of the garment flaring out at the sides provides a point of reference for this comparison. An earlier example of a formal language associated with Pisano is the ‘Apostle or Prophet’ from the first half of the 14th century in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore (Inv. No. 71.245), whose striking physiognomy and emphatically modelled drapery are linked by the museum to works by the sculptor. In the case of the present saint in a cowl, one might accordingly consider a later, more subdued continuation of such design principles within the softer treatment of the robe around 1400. The face is framed by a short goatee, which extends almost to form a full beard and ends below the large ears. Above the forehead and at the sides, a ring of hair, structured by fine notches, runs around the shaved crown of the head. This tonsure identifies the figure as a clergyman or a member of a religious order. Wavy brow ridges, merging into one an, span the almond-shaped eyes. The prominent bridge of the nose, the straight nose and the full, closed mouth lend the physiognomy a striking yet serene appearance. In the surviving hand, the saint holds a book, which may refer to the Holy Scriptures, scholarly activity or the teaching of the faith. The other hand is missing; any attribute that may have been held there has not been preserved. The habit, tonsure and book generally characterise the figure as a holy member of a religious order. The sculpture, now mounted on a later wooden plinth, may originally have formed part of a larger ensemble of sacred figures, such as an altarpiece or a series of saints of a religious order. Its slender proportions and carefully structured vestments would be consistent with such a context. The saint’s serene presence and the softly draped robes lend the figure a vivid quality, striking a balance between monastic contemplation and the artistic elegance of Gothic art around 1400.