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St. Barbara
1470-148929 7/16 x 9 3/16 x 5 1/8 in. (74.8 x 23.4 x 13 cm)
German artist
Germany
Made in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg
Object Type:
Sculpture
Medium and Support:
Wood, polychromy, gilding
Credit Line:
Bertha Buswell Bequest
Accession Number:
1955.46
Location: Not currently on view
Collection:
Buswell-Hochstetter Collection
According to Christian legend, Saint Barbara was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy pagan named Dioscorus, who lived in Nicodemia (present-day Turkey) during the 3rd century. Fearful of losing Barbara to the outside world, her father kept her locked in a tower. She secretly converted to Christianity; when she told Dioscorus of her new-found faith, he reported her to the authorities. She was sentenced to torture and beheading—a decree carried out by her father himself.
In Christian art, Barbara is usually shown holding the tower in which she was imprisoned and a book, which represents the teachings that led to her conversion. Here, she also wears fine clothing that represents her wealth. A purse hangs from her belt, and she wears a golden crown.
This sculpture originally formed part of a larger late medieval altarpiece that included other solitary or grouped figures. Although beautifully carved, the last 500 years have taken their toll on both her appearance and structure. Old repairs have broken off or splintered, and both original and later paint and gilding are flaking, making her too unstable for continuous display. MAG staff is working to identify funds for her treatment so that she can be returned to permanent exhibition in the medieval galleries.
[Label text from It Came From the Vault exhibition, 2013]
In Christian art, Barbara is usually shown holding the tower in which she was imprisoned and a book, which represents the teachings that led to her conversion. Here, she also wears fine clothing that represents her wealth. A purse hangs from her belt, and she wears a golden crown.
This sculpture originally formed part of a larger late medieval altarpiece that included other solitary or grouped figures. Although beautifully carved, the last 500 years have taken their toll on both her appearance and structure. Old repairs have broken off or splintered, and both original and later paint and gilding are flaking, making her too unstable for continuous display. MAG staff is working to identify funds for her treatment so that she can be returned to permanent exhibition in the medieval galleries.
[Label text from It Came From the Vault exhibition, 2013]
Provenance
Willibald Duschnitz (1884-1976), Vienna; purchased from him by Bertha Hochstetter Buswell (Mrs. Henry Buswell), Buffalo, NY; her bequest to the Gallery, 1941; lifetime interest held by her brother, Ralph Hochstetter, Buffalo, NY, until his death in 1955, when it passed to the Gallery
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Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions:
- The Buswell-Hochstetter Collections 11/11/1955 - 11/28/1955
- It Came from the Vault: Rarely Seen Works from MAG's Collection 3/17/2013 - 6/9/2013
Bibliography
This object has the following bibliographic references:
- Article Title: The November Exhibitions: The Buswell-Hochstetter Collections. Article Scope: Article. Memorial Art Gallery. Gallery Notes. Rochester, New York: Memorial Art Gallery, 1935-1995. Volume Number: 21, Issue Number: 2. Issue Date: November-December, 1955.
- Article Scope: Mention. Elizabeth Brayer. Magnum Opus: The Story of the Memorial Art Gallery, 1913-1988. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 1988.
- Article Author: Chipman, Harold H., and Leonhard Weidinger. Article Title: Ein Enthusiast für Industrie und Kunst-- Willibald Duschnitz. Article Scope: Mention. Eva Blimlinger, ed. Die Praxis des Sammelns: . Vienna: Böhlau Verlag GmbH & Co., 2014. Page Number: 85
- Article Author: Holladay, Joan A. and Nancy Norwood. Article Scope: Discussion and reproduction. Joan A. Holladay and Susan L. Ward. Gothic Sculpture in America. New York, NY: International Center of Medieval Art, 1989. Volume Number: 3 Page Number: 172-173, Figure Number: 101
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It Came from the Vault exhibition catalogue
Entry for this artwork in the It Came from the Vault exhibition catalogue. The exhibition ran from March 17-June 9, 2013