Inv. 1929.8.249
Side 1: seated Virgin and Child (Vierge glorieuse); two standing angels holding candlesticks. Adoring Magi (forming an Adoration of the Magi when combined with the seated Virgin and Child.
Side 2: Christ in glory with Resurrection of the Dead; souls rising from their tombs; Christ displaying his wounds; two standing angels holding Instruments of the Passion (cross; crown of thorns; spear; nails); monster head (dragon); lions (?); birds.
Foliated decoration; bands with alternating rosettes and vine leaves. Foliated inhabited scrolls (rinceaux); running dogs; running hare.
Knop, under arches lined with scrolls of acanthus leaves; quatrefoil in the gable: 12 standing apostles with their attributes.
From left to right:
Panel 1: unidentified apostle holding a staff and book (possibly saint James the Greater with pilgrim's staff); apostle holding a flaying knife (?) and a book (possibly saint Bartholomew with a flaying knife).
Panel 2: saint James the Lesser with a fuller's club; apostle holding a sword and book (possibly saint Paul).
Panel 3: unidentified apostle holding a cross; apostle holding a key (?) and a book (possibly saint Peter);
Panel 4: unidentified apostle holding a cross (?; possibly saint Andrew); unidentified apostle holding a book.
Panel 5: unidentified apostle holding a book; unidentified apostle holding a book.
Panel 6: unidentified apostle holding a book; unidentified apostle holding a book.
Tracery. Pinnacles.
Scott 1851: c. 1300-1320.
London 1863: English, 14th century.
Attribution
Unknown
Polychromy - Gilding
Extensive traces of gilding and polychromy: gold (wings, hair and beards; instruments of the passion; foliage; pattern along the hem of Christ's cloak; pattern on the angels' robes on the Resurrection side; architectural details, etc.), blue (wings; lining of Christ's cloak; architectural details, etc.), red (lips; wings; tombs; architectural details, etc.), green (cross; vine leaves; architectural details, etc).
Reverse
Carved in the round.
Object Condition
Remains of supports for a now missing canopy above Christ's and the Virgin's heads.
Missing: hands of Christ; part of the spear held by the angel on the Resurrection side; part of the candles held by the angels on the Virgin side. Most attributes held by the apostles are broken, which makes their identification particularly difficult.
The volute seems to have been shaved in places, as was part of the staff, above the knop, where more decoration may have been applied (crosshatched areas).
Provenance
Collection of Philippe H. Howard, Esquire of Corby (at least 1851 to 1863). Acquired by John Gellatly in 1929 from Symons Inc.; gift of John Gellatly in 1929.
Bibliography
W. B. Scott, Antiquarian Gleanings in the North of England, being examples of antique furniture, plate, church decorations, etc. (London, [1851]), pp. 8-9, pl. xiii (engraving).
Catalogue of the Art Treasures of the United Kingdom, collected at Manchester in 1857, exhibition catalogue, 1857, p. 22 (engraving).
Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Works of Art of the Mediaeval, Renaissance, and more recent periods on loan at the South Kensington Museum, June 1862..., revised edition, exhibition catalogue, London, South Kensington Museum, 1863, no. 206.
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