Saint John on Calvary, attributed to Daniel Mauch - Germany circa 1500

This superb limewood Saint John is typical of Bavarian artistic production in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He has almond-shaped eyes, small pursed lips, a curved nose and thick, curly hair. He wears a traditional 16th-century male garb, cinched at the waist by a belt and covered by a broad cloak, whose folds and draping give the piece a striking realism. The saint stands barefoot, with his head turned slightly to his right, wiping his tears with a piece of his cloak in his right hand and raising his left hand in reaction to the scene he is observing. Indeed, St. John's posture indicates that he was part of a larger ensemble, created for an altarpiece: a scene depicting the crucifixion of Christ. According to tradition, John "the disciple whom Jesus loved" is present at the foot of the cross at Christ's death, in the company of Mary. Still on Christ's left, the Virgin Mary and John, on the right, weep and lament together. Our Saint John's attitude expresses deep emotion and sorrow, but also great piety.
This work is closely related to the work of German sculptor Daniel Mauch (1477-1540). Attested from 1508 onwards in Ulm (Baden-Württemberg), where he ran a workshop specializing in wooden altarpieces, he is known to have spent the last ten years of his life working in the Walloon region. With the Protestant Reformation gaining ground in the German Empire, demand for religious images collapsed, causing him to lose some of his clientele. Faithful to the Catholic faith, he and his family left Ulm when it declared itself Protestant. He settled in Liège, where he worked until the end of his life, leaving his mark on the region's art scene. The connection between our piece and this artist is reinforced by another work attributed to Mauch: a limewood Saint Sebastian, preserved in the Petit Palais, dating from the first decades of the 16th century. The workmanship of the hair, the folds of the garment, the bare feet on a grassy base, and the dignified yet emotional face are all elements that confirm our connection.
The quality of the wood, the traces of polychromy and gilding; added to the great finesse of the carving of this sculpture, offer us a most touching and elegant representation of the saint.