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Saint Luke

Saint Luke Painting the Image of Mary is a Gothic sculptural composition and the only surviving part of the original altar retable dedicated to Saint Luke. It formed the central section of the retable, which originally stood in the chapel of the painters’ guild in the parish church of St Mary Magdalene in Wrocław. The work is now displayed in the Medieval Art Gallery of the National Museum in Warsaw. It is probably by Jakub Beinhart. The sculpture is notable for its varied relief treatment, from shallow relief to fully three-dimensional figures, and for its deliberate lack of polychromy. Scholars connect it with late Gothic monochrome sculpture from southern German lands, as well as with the art of Veit Stoss and early Netherlandish painting.

Wooden relief of Saint Luke seated beside the Madonna in an ornate architectural alcove.
Wooden relief of Saint Luke with the Madonna, framed by a vaulted architectural setting.
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Wooden sculpture of Saint Luke in profile with raised hands and draped robes.
Detail of Saint Luke showing the carved figure in profile with expressive raised hands.
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Wooden bust of Saint Luke with long curly hair and hands held out in front.
Detail of Saint Luke, showing the carved wooden bust with flowing curls and outstretched hands.
© · CC0
Saint Luke wooden sculpture detail showing two draped figures gesturing beside a paneled wooden background.
Detail of Saint Luke, carved in wood, with two figures gesturing against a paneled backdrop.
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Wooden sculpture of Saint Luke as a curly-haired child kneeling with one hand extended.
Detail of Saint Luke shown as a wooden child sculpture with one hand outstretched.
© · CC0

Identification

TitleSaint Luke Painting the Virgin
Polish titleŚwięty Łukasz malujący wizerunek Marii
English titleSaint Luke
TypeInternational Gothic limewood relief sculpture
StyleLate Gothic monochrome sculpture

Historical context

Associated periodSecond half of the 15th century
Reason for rejecting polychromyIntentional rejection of polychromy with ideological and artistic justification
Contemporary criticism of polychrome sculptureLate Gothic polychrome and gilded sculpture was criticized by part of the clergy for its splendor
Later work of Wit StwoszIn his later phase, the Kraków-Nuremberg woodcarver also preferred sculpture without polychromy
Position in retableCentral part
Surviving partOnly surviving element of the original altarpiece retable dedicated to Saint Luke
Original functionCentral panel of an altarpiece for the chapel of the painters' guild in St Mary Magdalene Church, Wrocław

Creator

Possible stylistic backgroundBeinhart was familiar with contemporary sculpture in Swabia, which is sometimes considered the presumed place of origin of the sculptor
AttributionProbably carved by Jakob Beinhart

Discovery and provenance

Original locationChapel of the painters' guild in the parish cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene in Wrocław

Location and ownership

Current locationNational Museum, Warsaw, Medieval Art Gallery

Materials

Materiallime wood

Technique

Sculptural techniqueCombination of full-round sculpture, convex relief, and concave relief
Relief depthFlat relief for the wall with windows, deep relief for the interior furnishings, and fully three-dimensional sculpture for the figures of Mary, Jesus, Saint Luke, and the ox
Workshop implicationsRejection of polychromy expanded the technical range of woodcarving, emphasizing detail, texture, chiaroscuro modeling, and varied relief depth

Physical characteristics

PolychromyNo surviving fragments of polychromy; researchers consider the sculpture monochrome
Surface treatmentBare wood covered only with a protective, visually unifying stain
Conservation studiesChemical and microscopic studies and conservation work in 1996–2003 confirmed the monochrome character

Appearance

FramingEnclosed by a border formed by a segmental arch supported by two massive pillars
WindowsTwo pairs of leaded-glass windows with semicircular tops in the background wall
Style and treatmentRealistic physiognomy and clothing, with careful use of perspective, detail, and varied relief depth
SettingInside a richly furnished Gothic chamber with a vault supported by a central pillar
FurnitureOrnate chairs, furniture behind Mary and Saint Luke, and vessels on a shelf behind the painter
Wall detailA meat-preparation board hangs on the side wall

Iconography and meaning

SubjectSaint Luke painting Mary, with the Infant Jesus and an ox also depicted
Saint Luke's actionShown painting Mary on a wooden panel
Subject typeCombination of religious and genre themes
Attribute of Saint LukeA small ox resting under Saint Luke's chair
Christ Child depictionThe Infant Jesus is shown playing between Saint Luke and Mary
Mary's depictionMary looks at the painter and is simultaneously weaving a costume hanging on a stick attached to a wooden pole
Saint Luke's gazeLooking toward the seated Mother of God opposite him

Significance

Monochrome tendencyRepresents a monochrome artistic tendency that emerged in the southern parts of the Holy Roman Empire, mainly Franconia and Swabia, in the second half of the 15th century
Influence of Wit StwoszInspired by Wit Stwosz; his woodcut Holy Family has a composition very close to the sculpture
Influence from Early Netherlandish paintingResearchers detect influence from 15th-century Early Netherlandish painting on the composition
Early Netherlandish thematic parallelsThe theme of Saint Luke painting Mary was depicted by Rogier van der Weyden and Hans Memling
Leading representative of monochrome sculptureTilman Riemenschneider