Bishop in Polychrome Linden Wood - Swabia, late 15th Century

This polychrome linden wood statuette, a material favored by Swabian sculptors for its lightness and finesse, depicts a bishop with his episcopal attributes. He stands upright, dressed in his dalmatic, holding his crozier in his right hand, while his left hand supports a closed book, likely a Bible, missal, or evangelary. Swabia, a region between the Black Forest and Bavaria, experienced a flourishing of religious art between 1460 and 1530, characterized by sculptures primarily intended for churches. Stylistically, this sculpture belongs to the late 15th-century Swabian tradition, known for its unified and delicate style, combining the softness of oval faces, fluid drapery, and a restrained expressiveness.