Bamberger Kunst und Antiquitäten GbR

Germany, around 1730

In outline curved cartouche form with convex-concave chased walls and profiled rims.

The lid and base of polished translucent honey-brown agate slabs. On the walls matching reserves with chiselled shellwork and fine flowers. The delivered pusher is worked as a rocaille.

French import mark "Charancon" for fineness 750 (Tary 173).

Gold boxes in this elegant design were sought-atter collectors' items and were also

frequently given as gifts.

2,3 x 6,5 x 5,8 cm.

Naples, mid-18th century

The busts of the putti are made of fired clay and finely painted.

The chubby-cheeked pair of angels is equipped with strong wings and has the original setting from the period of origin.

The small sculpture shows the high artistry of the Neapolitan artists, who were famous in the 18th century for their cots, the accompanying figures, animals, architecture and accessories with bright colours.

Our pair of putti could have hovered as a crowning glory above the cot with the baby Jesus lying in it at the stable of Bethlehem.

Height 7.5 cm, width 7.5 cm.

Austria, probably Tyrol, around 1700

The very vividly carved recumbent Iion in walnut shows fine fur markings over its entire surface. The original patina has survived very well on the sculpture.

It is difficult to say whether this small sculpture was used for a work of art, an unusual piece of furniture or decoration in a room.

Length 40 cm.

Upper Swabia,around 1630, attributed to Jörg and Michael Zürn.

The fully sculpted Madonna of Iime wood stands on a richly curved pedestal with the Christ Child in her arms.

Lush folds of her garment frame the intimate depiction of the mother with her child. With a sceptre in her hand, she gracefully yet dignifiedly points to the miracle on her arm. The Christ Child looks at the viewer and, with the globe in his hand, is the expression of divine grace.

From the important workshop of the Zürn family of sculptors on Lake Constance, in addition to large ecclesiastical commissions, such as the altar of the Virgin Mary in Überlingen Minster and works in Salem Monastery, sculptures have survived that were more for private devotion.

Height 22.5 cm.

Mondsee Monastery / Salzburg, Meinrad Guggenbichler, around 1700

Lime wood, carved. The original colouring and gilding has been preserved.

Johann Meinrad Guggenbichler (Einsiedeln 1649 - 1723 Mondsee) was the son of a stone sculptor and master builder who was apprenticed in Dillingen. From 1678 he worked as a monastery sculptor for Mondsee Monastery. The successful, highly esteemed M. Guggenbichler received important commissions from the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg from 1700 onwards.

The large sculptures shown here could have been assistant figures from an altar or architectural elements of a profane, princely room decoration.

Height 70 cm, width 38 cm.

17th century, attributed to Adam Lenkhardt

Ivory, fully sculpted.

On an octagonal wooden base stands the goddess Venus, dressed only in a loincloth, looking down lovingly on the Armor boy who, smiling triumphantly, hands her the Apple of Paris.

This high-quality small sculpture is traditionally attributed to Adam Lenkhardt (Würzburg 1610—1661 Vienna), one of the important representatives of Baroque ivory carving.

After apprenticing under his father, Nikolaus Lenkhardt, Adam travelled through Italy and settled in Vienna in 1638, where he advanced to become the chamber sculptor to Prince Karl Eusebius of Liechtenstein from 1642 to 1660. He created very high-quality small sculptures with both profane and sacred motifs.

Height 31,5 cm.

SAINT ELIZABETH

Middle Rhine Region, Trier, beginning of the 16^th century

Sandstone, traces of the original polychromy

Height without base: 85 cm | base: 41.5 cm

Provenance: from the former “Sankt-Elisabethen-Mühle” (Mill Saint Elizabeth)

near Ruwer/ Eitelsbach, today city of Trier

St. Elizabeth of Thuringia (Bratislava 1207 - 1231 Marburg) has been one of the most venerated female saints since the late Middle Ages. The Hungarian princess, as Landgravine of Thurinigia, devoted her entire life to caring for the poor and sick in the hospital she founded in Marburg.

The sandstone sculpture of the saint giving bread to a beggar kneeling beside her, was probably created around 1520 for the monastery and hospital of St. Elisabeth, which was subordinate to the Abbey of St. Maximin in Trier. For a long time, the sculpture was located in the St. Elisabeth Mill near the small village of Ruwer, northeast of Trier, which had been in existence since the High Middle Ages and was part of the monastery's estate. 

SAINT CHRISTOPHER

Brabant, circa 1540/60

Walnut wood, reverse flattened

Height: 39 cm

Provenance: private collection, Southern Germany

MATTHÄUS KRINIS

(active in Upper Bavaria, first quarter of the 16^th century)

NATIVITY OF CHRIST

Upper Bavaria, circa 1518

High relief, lime wood

Height: 45 cm; width: 68 cm

Matthäus Krinis is a sculptor from the circle of the important Upper Bavarian artist Hans Leinberger. In 1511 he was granted citizenship in Mühldorf am Inn as an independent master.

Literature: M. Neumeister: Studien zu den Altöttinger Türen und ihrem Meister. Part III, Diss., University Hamburg 1996, p. 100-102, no. 8 with ill.

Schmitt/ Swarzenski: Meisterwerke der Bildhauerkunst in Frankfurter Privatbesitz. Vol. 1 [...], Frankfurt a.M. 1921, no. 163 with ill.

Provenance: collection Jacob H. Weiller, Frankfurt | auction October 21, 1930 at Hugo Helbing, Frankfurt (auction catalogue p. 19, no. 93, ill. Plate 16) | Gallery Dr. Benno Griebert, Meersburg, Lake Constance | private collection, Zürich, from 1952 to 2022

"DIVISIO APOSTOLORUM"

Swabia, circa 1500

Middle part of a relief of the "Dispersion of the Apostles" - Jesus with St. John the Evangelist, flanked by St. James with pilgrim's hat and a third apostle, possibly Simon or Judas Thaddaeus

Lime wood, with traces of the original polychromy

Height: 29 cm, width: 58 cm

Provenance: private collection, Southern Germany

Frankfurt am Main, around 1755, assigned Christian Georg Schütz the Elder

In a large idyllic river landscape ancient ruins and a castle complex are depicted, the centre of the picture is enlivened by a resting shepherd, the right side shows rich vegetation in front of a hilly riverside landscape in the background.

Christian Georg Schütz the Elder (Flörsheim 1718- 1791 Frankfurt am Main) was a fresco and far;ade painter who worked at the courts of Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Nassau-Saarbrücken during his years of travel before settling in Frankfurt am Main in 1743. He undertook study trips to the Rhine and Switzerland.

Around 1750 he worked for the Duke of Brunswick—Lüneburg and the Landgrave of Hesse for the residences in Kassel. In Goethe's time, his mostly ideal, romantic landscapes, influenced by the Middle Rhine and often executed in oil on canvas, were very popular and widespread. Another work has been preserved in Wilhelmshöhe Palace in Kassel, among other places.

Oil on canvas.

96 x 171 cm.

Flanders, around 1640

Oil on canvas, doubled.

From an elevated vantage point a wide view opens into a deep river landscape, enlivened with a castle complex and with a row of houses on the left half of the picture, as well as country people and a hunter on the right.

The depth of the green-blue background is enhanced by a strong round fortified tower standing in the river and reached by a wooden footbridge. In the foreground a treescape contrasts the depth with dramatic cloud formation in the background.

96 x 138 cm. In a partly gilded old frame.

Anton Raphael Mengs and workshop, around 1750

Oil on canvas.

This representative portrait shows the Electress of Saxony (1724-1780) in a precious brocade decorated dress with a blue ermine cloak and red sheath. She wears the star of the Russian Order of St Catherine and the Austrian Order of the Star Cross.

The Elector Princess was the daughter of the Elector and later Emperor Karl Albrecht of Bavaria and from 1747 was the wife of the Elector Friedrich Christian of Saxony, whose portrait was painted by Mengs as a counterpart.

The first version from Mengs' workshop has been preserved in the Dresden State Art Collections. Another version of similar quality is described in the painter's estate in 1779, so there is reason to suspect that the portrait shown here may have come from the painter's estate.

Anton Raphael Mengs (Bohemia 1728 - 1779 Rome) was born as the son of the Saxon court painter lsmael Mengs and received early support from his parents. From 1741 to 1744 he stayed in Rome with his father to study antiquities. From 1745 to 1761 he was court painter to August Ill, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, and from 1761 to 1777 court painter to the Spanish King Charles III. Among his patrons were the Margravine Wilhelmine of Bayreuth, Tsarina Catherine ll and Cardinal Alessandro Albani.

Height 142,5, width 110,5 cm.

Carl Rothe, Breslau around 1834

Oil on canvas, marked on the back.

The family portrait shows the second wife of Duke Eugen II of Württemberg-Oels (Oels 1788 - 1857 Karlsruhe), Duchess Helene (Langenburg 1807 - 1880 Heinrichsruh near Schleiz) with three of her four children: Wilhelm (1828-1869), Nikolaus (1833-1903) and Alexandrine (1829-1913), later abbess of the noble ladies' convent in Oberstenfeld.

The painting was made before the birth of their fourth child Agnes (1835-1903) and is attributed to the court painter Carl Rothe (Dresden 1810-1865 Liegnitz), who worked as court painter to the dukes of Württemberg in Oels and Breslau. Several portraits of the family by have been preserved.

Height 136.5 cm, width 111 cm.