Search 0
54,914  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 118 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
118 ITEMS ADDED TODAY
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1131859
RESERVED
Email
Save
Early 16th Century Gothic Stone Carving - 'The Death of a Prelate'
Treaders Collectables
reserved SA1131859
RESERVED
Treaders Collectables

Treaders Collectables

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2024
View Dealers Stock Page
  • About Us
    Art, antiques, objet d'art, furniture and sculpture
Relevant Links
Id #SA1131859
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Early 16th Century Gothic Stone Carving - 'The Death of a Prelate'

16th century
For Sale by Treaders Collectables (Reserved for a buyer)
Description

A rare and evocative early 16th-century carved stone relief retaining traces of its original polychrome decoration, depicting 'The Death of a Prelate'. The dying bishop is shown enthroned in full episcopal vestments, attended by clergy and mourners, while celestial angels hover above to receive his soul — a composition rooted in the late medieval ars moriendi ('art of dying') tradition, in which the good death of a churchman was held up as a model for the faithful.

Reliefs of this type were typically carved for a funerary or devotional context — a tomb monument, chantry chapel, or retable — and few survive with their painted surface intact. The Reformation and subsequent centuries of iconoclasm and restoration destroyed the vast majority of polychromed church sculpture in Northern Europe, making surviving examples with period paint genuinely scarce on the market.

The carving displays the deep undercutting, expressive faces, and crowded, animated composition characteristic of late Gothic workshops working around 1500–1530.

Physical Dimensions
Height
67cm (26.38")
Width
40cm (15.75")
Depth
15cm (5.91")
Declaration

Treaders Collectables has dated this Gothic Stone Relief Carving to the 16th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1131859
Dealers Internal Reference
6007
Description
A rare and evocative early 16th-century carved stone relief retaining traces of its original polychrome decoration, depicting 'The Death of a Prelate'. The dying bishop is shown enthroned in full episcopal vestments, attended by clergy and mourners, while celestial angels hover above to receive his soul — a composition rooted in the late medieval ars moriendi ('art of dying') tradition, in which the good death of a churchman was held up as a model for the faithful.
“
Reliefs of this type were typically carved for a funerary or devotional context — a tomb monument, chantry chapel, or retable — and few survive with their painted surface intact.
Treaders Collectables

The Reformation and subsequent centuries of iconoclasm and restoration destroyed the vast majority of polychromed church sculpture in Northern Europe, making surviving examples with period paint genuinely scarce on the market.

The carving displays the deep undercutting, expressive faces, and crowded, animated composition characteristic of late Gothic workshops working around 1500–1530.

Height
67cm (26.38")
Width
40cm (15.75")
Depth
15cm (5.91")
Date of Manufacture

Treaders Collectables has dated this Gothic Stone Relief Carving to the 16th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1131859
Dealers Internal Ref
6007
Treaders Collectables
Treaders Collectables
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2024

Art, antiques, objet d'art, furniture and sculpture

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Treaders Collectables Profile Page

PDF SHARE
SAVE
An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above.
1 / 7
Archive I An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above.

Early 16th Century Gothic Stone Carving - 'The Death of a Prelate'

Archive II An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above. View II
Archive III An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above. View III
Archive IV Scale Reference for An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above.
Archive V An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above. View V
Archive VI An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above. View VI
Archive VII An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above. View VII
Enlarged Archival View
Treaders Collectables

Treaders Collectables
Telephone 01375 644470
Location
Stanford-le-Hope
Essex
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/treaders
Verified Since May 2024
Items For Sale 106
Items Sold 41
Treaders Collectables
Treaders Collectables
Verified Since May 2024
View Dealer Info
Location: Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/treaders
Verified
May 2024
For Sale
106
Sold
41
An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above.
Early 16th Century Gothic Stone Carving - 'The Death of a Prelate'
Ref: SA1131859
An early 16th-century carved stone relief depicting multiple figures gathered around a seated prelate with sculpted angels above.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Scale Reference
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

FAQs

Late Gothic stone reliefs typically feature high-relief figures, expressive narrative scenes, detailed drapery, and religious imagery, often originally created for altarpieces, churches, or monumental tombs.

Gothic sculptors primarily carved local limestone, sandstone, or marble, frequently finishing pieces with polychrome paint and gilding to enhance detail and visual impact.

Authentic period carvings exhibit hand-tooling marks, natural stone weathering, uneven wear across raised surfaces, and traces of historic pigment or gilding in recessed areas.

Display the carving as a focal artwork on a sideboard top, mantelpiece, or dedicated pedestal against a neutral wall to highlight its sculptural texture and shadow.

Dust gently using a soft, dry brush without water, liquid detergents, or chemical cleaners, which can strip surviving historic pigments or degrade porous stone.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Movements
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Freshness
Online Payments
Categories