SOUTH GERMAN

Two altar wings with the apostles Judas Thaddaeus and James; son of Alphaeus. Ca. 1460. Each oil tempera on wood. Parqueted. 61 x 28cm. Framed.

Verso:
Old inventory numbers.

Provenance:
Private property; South Germany.

Certificate:
- Dr. Michaela Schedl; Kronberg; September 2016;
- Infrared shots; group Cologne; August 2016.

From the certificate by Dr. Michaela Schedl:
" [...] Infrared images could give information about preparatory drawings hidden underneath the painted surface of a work. These two privately owned panels indicate the dynamically drawn outlines of garments and facial lines; which in places show through the paint layer - for instance in the carnation. Comparing the painted arm of James the Less to the infrared image nicely displays how accurately the artist followed the preparatory lines of the folds of the sleeve (ill. 15; 16). In his shoulder region letter-like characters can be made out; presumably b z + E. Every so often colour specifications were abbreviated with single letters or symbols in the preparatory drawings of late-medieval paintings. Such a specification is probably discernible in the overcoat of Judas Thaddaeus (ill. 17). There is a letter appearing to be a Gothic minuscule 'w'. Accordingly 'w' might denote 'white' - as in the martyrdom panel by Stefan Lochner. How the characters in James' shoulder region are to be interpreted remains unknown. Both apostle panels are exceedingly exquisite; preserved in rather good condition. They may originally have been part of the insides of the wings of a reredos; or of the side shutters of a standing triptych. Owing to the softwood used as carrier one can assume them to have been made in southern German-speaking regions - South Germany; Austria; Switzerland. As shown by the examples given; a workshop based in Upper Bavaria would be conceivable. On account of the similarity of formal characteristics especially as regarding the rendering of the garments; the privately owned apostle panels can likewise be dated to around 1460. [...]"

The complete certificate; including illustrations for comparision; will gladly be provided as PDF upon request.
Art trade; Van Ham.