The Virgin and Child in French Fourteenth Century Sculpture

A Method of ClassificationFootnote
* This article began as a review of Claude Schaefer's book La sculpture en ronde-bosse au XIV^e siècle dans le duché de Bourgogne, Paris, 1954. In its present form it has been impossible to do justice to Schaefer's important work. However, I want to acknowledge the frank and generous spirit with which he has shared his ideas with me by letter during the more than twenty years that we both have worked in the field. I have tried to reciprocate. I should like to acknowledge the following sources for the photographs, most of which were taken before 1939: Figs. 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18 and 19 the Archives Photographiques in Paris, Figs. 6, 9, 13, 23, 24, 25 and 26 the Archiv Foto Marburg, Figs. 1 and 20 the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Figs. 2 and 14 M. Claude Schaefer, Fig. 3 the City Art Museum, St. Louis, Fig. 27 the Bildarchiv, Rheinisches Museum, Cologne, Fig. 15 and 17 M. Jean Séguin, Fig. 21 through Mlle Anne Paillard, Fig. 22 the Archives de la Marne, Fig. 7 Dr. E. Stoedtner, Düsseldorf

William H. ForsythMetropolitan Museum of Art

Abstract

THE field of fourteenth century French sculpture is still relatively unexplored. It is natural that attempts at classifying it have been primarily concerned with statues of the Virgin and Child because of their overwhelming numbers.¹ It is also natural that students have taken the sculpture of the Ile-de-France as the norm since undoubtedly it formed the most influential single school in France.² The writer has found, however, that reversing the approach and starting with sculpture in the provinces clarifies many points. The wealth and complexities of sculpture associated with Paris and her royal ateliers makes more difficult a clear understanding of their evolution and development.³ In the provinces styles are simpler and more easily studied than in the region immediately around the Ile-de-France.

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