A Female Saint

Tilman Riemenschneider was one of the most important sculptors in Germany in the early period of the Reformation. He settled in Wurzberg in 1483, where he headed a workshop for nearly 45 years producing numerous altarpieces, statues and reliefs. This finely-carved sculpture of a female saint would originally have formed part of an altarpiece, together with four other saints. She originally held an object in her right hand - an 'attribute' - by which she would have been identified, but this has since been lost. Many sculptures of this period were gilded and painted, but the surface finish of this sculpture suggests that it was not intended to be decorated. Limewood, the most common wood used for sculpture in southern Germany, was also regarded as holding magical religious properties.