More Nordic Wooden Sculptures

Finally I’ve uploaded some more Nordic pictures. They are in a photo album called “Wooden Sculpture”. My favourite Madonna, the one from Heda is there.

BTW does anybody know how you do if you want to change the name of the photo album? I have some illuminations scanned that I want to add too, and then name doesn’t make much sense.
~ Aleydis van Vilvorde/ Eva Andersson
Message #1059, April 23, 2003

Madonna from Heda
Madonna from Heda

Thanks for sharing these! I note that all three Madonnas have the unusual neckline with a round piece that approximates where a keyhole neckline would be. I seem to see this style more in Germanic art rather than Frankish art…

After looking at a 12th century Italian painting showing a girl with a large circular plaque, and a couple of early 13th century statues with large circular pendants suspended by a ribbon, I wonder if the depiction is a keyhole type of neck finish, or a Byzantine superhumeral with a pendant worn underneath it?

There is reference to pendants held by a ribbon in period literature.

~ Katrine de Saint Brieuc / Katherine Barich
Message #1061, April 23, 2003

We might be looking at completely different things but I wonder if the “circular pendants suspended by a
ribbon” you saw might be a circular pin on the dress and the cord for the cloak. A circle pin and a cloak
held on with a cord or ribbon are extremely popular in 13th century art.
YMMV
~ Slaine / Mary M. Haselbauer
Message #1072, April 24, 2003