 |
| Anonymous Flemish Artist Caritas ca. 1510 oakwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Hans Brüggemann Angel playing Lute ca. 1520 oakwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
-c1510-pearwood-Bode-Museum-Berlin.jpg) |
| Anonymous German Artist St Barbara (possibly) ca. 1510 pearwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
The majority of wooden figures carved in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance were painted by their creators. These painted surfaces often survived in good condition – until the 19th century. As the fortunes of Christianity faded, more and more church sculpture found itself transferred from the realm of faith into the realm of dealers and collectors. These secular individuals tended to share an unfortunate preference for unpainted sculpture – an extension of their boundless admiration for ancient marbles (and their ignorance of the fact that those marbles also had been brightly painted, in their day). Without shame or hesitation, these connoisseurs and profiteers removed the Medieval and Renaissance paint that had remained intact for several centuries (as was done to the three examples above).
-St-Joseph-c1520-carved-and-painted-walnut-(from-Presentation-group)-Bode-Museum-Berlin.jpg) |
| Andrea da Milano (Andrea da Saronno) St Joseph ca. 1520 painted walnut Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Francesco di Valdambrino Virgin Annunciate ca. 1420 painted walnut Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Erasmus Grasser Angel displaying the Sudarium ca. 1480 lindenwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Erasmus Grasser Angel displaying the Sudarium ca. 1480 lindenwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Michel Erhart The Virgin as Protectress ca. 1480 painted lindenwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Tilman Riemenschneider St Stephen ca. 1502-1508 painted lindenwood Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio |
 |
| Tilman Riemenschneider St Lawrence ca. 1502-1508 painted lindenwood Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio |
 |
| workshop of Hans Multscher Three Angels with Christ Child ca. 1430 lindenwood relief Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Johann Paul Egell Holy Family ca. 1735-40 lindenwood Bode Museum, Berlin |
-Bode-Museum-Berlin.jpg) |
| Erasmus Grasser Christ as Man of Sorrows ca. 1480-90 lindenwood (double-sided statue) Bode Museum, Berlin |
-Bode-Museum-Berlin.jpg) |
| Christian Jorhan St Mark ca. 1760 painted lindenwood (partly gilt) Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Hans Leinberger Bishop beset by the Dead ca. 1515 painted lindenwood relief Bode Museum, Berlin |
 |
| Juan de Balmaseda The Lamentation ca. 1525 painted walnut relief Bode Museum, Berlin |
Æneas [to his Followers]:
The dreames (brave mates) that did beset my bed,
When sleepe but newly had imbrast the night,
Commaunds me leave these unrenowmed realms,
Whereas Nobilitie abhors to stay,
And none but base Æneas will abide:
Abourd, abourd, since Fates doe bid abourd,
And slice the Sea with sable coloured ships,
When sleepe but newly had imbrast the night,
Commaunds me leave these unrenowmed realms,
Whereas Nobilitie abhors to stay,
And none but base Æneas will abide:
Abourd, abourd, since Fates doe bid abourd,
And slice the Sea with sable coloured ships,
On whom the nimble windes may all day waight,
And follow them as footemen through the deepe:
And follow them as footemen through the deepe:
Yet Dido casts her eyes like anchors out,
To stay my Fleete from loosing forth the Bay:
To stay my Fleete from loosing forth the Bay:
Come backe, come backe, I heare her crye a farre,
And let me linke thy bodie to my lips,
And let me linke thy bodie to my lips,
That tyed together by the striving tongues,
We may as one saile into Italy.
We may as one saile into Italy.
– Christopher Marlowe, Dido, Queene of Carthage, act IV, scene iii (1594)