A rare and impressive South German carved and stained fruitwood Tödlein or 'Memento Mori (D...

A rare and impressive South German carved and stained fruitwood Tödlein or 'Memento Mori (Death Personified)' figure of an archer in the manner of Hans Leinberger (German, 1475-1531) Probably Bavarian, late 17th/early 18th century Formed as a 'semi-clad' skeleton, his clothing suggested by his flailing skin, his skull with open jaw, his arms extended, wearing a sash with suspended quiver and holding an upright bow in his left hand, his right foot resting on a rustic outcrop, on oval base, raised on a moulded waisted square ebonised plinth, with typical old restorations and some minor losses, the figure 72cm high, 35cm wide, 24cm deep approximately, the plinth 14cm high, 25.5cm wide, 25.5 deep, together with a custom built wooden travelling case (2) Footnotes: The skeleton-figure as a remembrance of death (memento mori) was a subject frequently represented in small-scale sculptures which were displayed in cabinets of curiosities from the 16th century onwards. Representations of the theme of the 'memento mori', which were used as aide-mémoires to remind the onlooker of the fragility of life, first became popular during the Renaissance, particularly in Northern Europe and especially in Germany. Acting as a moral compass against sin and its resultant decay, and to remind the viewer of the afterlife, the figures were equally valued as curiosities and mirrored the Renaissance interest in the anatomy of the human body as well as the grotesque and macabre. The early 16th century saw the rise of popularity in southern Germany of a particular type of carved wood sculpture depicting skeletons personifying death which were known as 'Tödlein' or 'little deaths'. Examples of Tödlein in wood, ivory and occasionally in bronze were produced from the 16th to the 18th centuries with many finding their way into the great Kuntskammers and Wunderkammers of Germany and Northern Europe. The earliest example of these figures was created by the Bavarian sculptor Hans Leinberger in around 1520. Leinberger depicted in this early carved wood sculpture a skeletal body in an advanced state of decomposition with the remnants of the flailing skin acting as a clothing substitute. Versions of the figure were subsequently depicted with typical attributes associated with death such as a bow and arrow, an hour glass or a scythe. The genre was revived in the late 17th century when the popularity of this type of carving in southern Germany was renewed by sculptors influenced by Dürer with figures portrayed with extended limbs to create menacingly elongated physiques. The offered lot relates closely to an example in the Bayerisches National Museum, which is dated 1673 (Beck, op. cit., nos. 191 and 191a), with a similar treatment to the skin and scalp around the back of the head and a sash across the torso. A comparable carved linden wood figure of 'Death Triumphant' also dated to 1670, is in the Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Inv : AGOID-292 A comparable carved fruitwood figure holding a bow, dated to circa 1670 was offered at Christies, Paris, 25th February 2009, lot 481, and three separate comparable similar carved fruitwood figures as personifications of death, one with a scythe, one with a hood and one with an hourglass were offered at Sotheby's London, 6th July, 2017, lots 104, 106 and 109. Related Literature and References A. Auer All the wonders of the world: The precious works of art from the collection of Archduke Ferdinand II (1529–1595) exh., cat. Ambras, Vienna 2001, pp. 68–69, cat. no. 39. E.F. Bange Die Kleinplastik der Deutschen Renaissance in Holz und Stein Florence and Munich, 1928, pls. 72-73. H. Beck & B. Decker (eds) Dürers Verwandlung in der Skulptur zwischen Renaissance und Barock, exh. cat., Liebieghaus Frankfurt am Main, 1981, pp. 298-304. C Müller Ein Problem deutscher Kleinplastik des 16. Jahrhunderts. Zeitschrift des Deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft C. 10, 1943, p. 259. Silvia Müllegger Death in the Kunstkammer of the Early Modern Period Diploma Thesis, University of Vienna, 2011, pp. 26–30 This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP TP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information. For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing