German
Altar of Saint Maurice and the Theban Legion, about 1515
Polychromed poplar, 131 x 152.5 cm (51 9/16 x 60 1/16 in.)
This vertical polychromed high-relief is carved in poplar. At its center there is a light-skinned figure on horseback holding a red banner that flutters to our left and bears a horizontal white cross. The figure is wearing a helmet and armor and faces toward us, with head tilted upward and eyes looking toward the distance. The chestnut-colored horse is shown in profile toward our right, but his front left hoof is raised, and his head is swiveled to face us as well. Surrounding the figure on horseback are thirteen light and medium-skinned figures wearing various types of clothing, some with armor and swords, and each having a rather grim expression. The golden ground and background are mostly crowded out by the figures. The bottom border along the edge of the dull red frame has a gilded, scrolling leaf design and the year 1515 at the center.
Gothic Room
Commentary
This German or Swiss polychrome wood sculpture shows a group of sixteen warriors in armor surrounding a figure on horseback, likely Saint Maurice and the Theban Legion, a group of Christian soldiers who were martyred in 286. The sculpture was probably part of a larger altarpiece made for a church. When Isabella purchased it in 1892, Saint Maurice was identified as Joan of Arc— a popular persona during World War I and an early feminist icon.