Bust of a Bishop

German sculptor
16th century, Polychromed wood

This stern bust of a bishop, recognisable by his cassock robes, must originally have been polychromed, as we can see from the few remaining traces of colour. A work from the 16th century, it was probably part of a large altar complex adorned with various wooden sculptures. The irregular shape of the bust would suggest that it was originally part of a full-length figure; it portrayed a patron saint, whom the lack of iconographic attributes makes it impossible to identify. The fixed, melancholy expression suggests that the anonymous artist, from South Germany or the Tyrol, was familiar with Italian art, which inspired many artists north of the Alps from the 16th century onwards.