Composite Panel with the Virgin and Child

Iconography

Description

The core element of the panel shows the Apocalyptic Virgin on a crescent moon (Revelation 12). Surrounding the Virgin are the Apostles John and Peter, St. Francis beholding the seraphic vision and a hermit saint, possibly St. Gall, with rosary beads. The segments comprising the left and right border and upper portion show foot soldiers and cavalry with cannon and other weapons. These secular themes derive from another provenance and are of a later date. The coat of arms above is probably from an additional source not related to the Virgin or the soldiers.

Iconclass Code

11F4132 · Madonna on the crescent of the moon (sometimes called Queen of Heaven) (in mandorla)
11H(FRANCIS)59 · stigmatization of St. Francis of Assisi: in retreat on Mount Alverna, he beholds a vision of Christ on the cross enveloped by wings (like a seraph with six wings); rays passing down to the body of the kneeling saint form the marks of the five wounds of Christ
11H(JOHN) · the apostle John the Evangelist; possible attributes: book, cauldron, chalice with snake, eagle, palm, scroll
11H(PETER) · the apostle Peter, first bishop of Rome; possible attributes: book, cock, (upturned) cross, (triple) crozier, fish, key, scroll, ship, tiara
45B · the soldier; the soldier's life
45C14(HALBERD) · helved weapons, polearms (for striking, hacking, thrusting): halberd
45C16(CANNON) · firearms: cannon
45D · insignia; division of armed forces; ranks
45F · preparation for battle
45L · occupation ~ war

Iconclass Keywords

air (in the) · Alverna (Mount) · apostle · book · cannon · cauldron · chalice · Christ · cock · crescent moon · cross · crozier · eagle · evangelist · fish · halberd · heaven · John (St.) · key · kneeling · mandorla · moon · occupation (invasion) · palm-branch · Peter (St.) · preparation (battle, war) · queen · ray of light · scroll · seraph · ship · six · snake · soldier · tiara · upside down · vision · war · wing

Heraldry

Unidentified: Or an eagle displayed sable crowned or armed and beaked gules; mantling gules and or.
Unidentified (Lochmann?): Azure a hausmark or.

Inscription

I H S (Monogram of the name Jesus)
[Hanss Lochman 1609] (on cartouche below)

Signature

none

Technique / State

State of Conservation and Restorations

The modern inscription panel may very well be a copy of the damaged original. All else appears to be original. The panel contains an intact central portion of the Virgin and saints. The segments the sides and top come from different provinces, although from the same general area. The central panel with the Virgin and saints shows very good paint adhesion, whereas the two side panels and upper panel to the left display significant abrasion that make the scenes difficult to read. The upper panel on the right, however, showing soldiers and farmers with a banner displaying a plowshare has no loss of surface paint.

Technique

The central panel and the arms above consist of green pot metal and red flashed and abraded glass with uncolored glass treated with green and blue enamel, vitreous paint, and silver stain. The side panels and the upper panel to the left contain uncolored glass with silver stain, vitreous paint, and blue, green and purple enamel. The upper panel to the right uses only vitreous paint and silver stain on uncolored glass

History

Research

The image of the Virgin is flanked by the Apostles John to the left and Peter to the right. This is an explicitly Catholic representation, including the monograph of the name of Jesus (IHS) above the Virgin. To the right of the Name of Jesus is St. Francis beholding the seraphic vision and to the left, a hermit saint with rosary beads, possibly St. Gall. The donor kneels in prayer on the lower left. He may very well be Hans Lochman, as his name is the diminutive of saint Johannes. St. John appears in the traditional place of a protector, on the dexter side, above the patron… More

Dating

early to mid-17th century

Period

1600 – 1650

Previous Location

unknown

Previous Owner

Countess de Bourg, Paris · A. Seligmann, Rey & Co., New York

Inventory Number

46.50

Bibliography and Sources

Literature

Hayward, J., Kummer-Rothenhäusler, S., & Raguin, V. (1987). in Stained Glass before 1700 in American Collections: Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern Seaboard States. Corpus Vitrearum Checklist II, ed. and intro. Madeline H. Caviness and Jane Hayward (Studies in the History of Art, 23). Washington DC.

Hayward, J., Kummer-Rothenhäusler, S., & Raguin, V. (1989). Stained Glass before 1700 in American Collections: Midwestern and Western States. with Addenda and Corrigenda, Corpus Vitrearum Checklist III, ed. and intro. Madeline H. Caviness and Jane Hayward (Studies in the History of Art, 28). Washington DC.

Unpublished sources: Rolf Hasler, 2020-2023 consultation.

Image Information

Name of Image

USA_Baltimore_WaltersArtMuseum_US_36

Credits

The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Link to the original photo

Public Domain

Inventory

Reference Number

US_36

Author and Date of Entry

Virginia C. Raguin 2024

Image Ordered

Contact Details