Lot number 19 - Auction 165
HEILIGER SEBASTIAN

SAINT SEBASTIAN Lake Constance region, first half of the 17th century Linden wood, sculpted in the round, polychromed and gilded, flattened and hollowed out on the back. H. 130, W. 71, D. 36 cm. Presumably by the Zürn family of sculptors, possibly Hans Zürn the Younger (ca. 1585-after 1624) or his workshop. A large depiction of Saint Sebastian, the martyr and patron saint of plague victims, pierced by arrows, in high-quality carving. The slender, gracefully posed figure, with finely modeled anatomy and an expressive head, displays stylistic features that point to the circle of the prominent Upper Swabian sculptor family, the Zürns. In particular, the lively conception of the body and the nuanced treatment of the figure's hair are closely aligned with the formal language of Hans Zürn the Younger and his workshop. The Zürn family ranks among the most significant sculpting dynasties in southern Germany at the threshold of the Renaissance and Early Baroque. Their works adorn numerous churches in the Lake Constance region, Upper Swabia, and the Allgäu. Losses in the paintwork, damaged and worn, affected by woodworm, paintwork partially retouched. Expert opinion: Correspondence regarding the art-historical classification between Dr. Schönberger and Dr. Volk, Bavarian National Museum, Munich, 2010. Provenance: Acquired at the Neumeister auction house, Munich.