Galerie Heim, Paris (Mentioned by Françoise Baron in april 1983)
Apostle, Limestone or sandstone ? Lorraine, c.1340, Providence (USA), Rhode Island School of Design Museum, 38.057
Full entry available upon request
With its immediate presence, understated elegance, and the enigmatic fish held in its hand, this sculpture irresistibly draws the viewer’s gaze. A rare collector’s piece and a testament to a bold and inventive sacred art, it powerfully embodies the artistic richness of Gothic Lorraine in the 14th century and the refined quality of its sculpture, situated at the crossroads of French and Germanic influences. Its singular and daring iconography opens up an exceptionally rich field of interpretation and finds a unique counterpart in a twin sculpture now housed at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence—a tangible sign of the diffusion and success of this extraordinary and mysterious type, likely originating from the same Lorrain workshop active around 1340. Challenging the conventional iconography of medieval statuary and reflecting the full maturity of Lotharingian workshops, it stands as an object of study and collection of exceptional value.