Saint Jerome in limestone carved in the round. Standing... Lot 34

Saint Jerome in limestone carved in the round. Standing and wearing a cardinal's hat, the saint holds a closed book in his right hand, while a lion seated on his hindquarters clings to his left leg. Burgundy, entourage of Jean de La Huerta (1413 - 1462), late 15th century H. 60.5 cm (restorations, slightly missing) The face of this sculpture is quite surprising. Square in shape, it is small in size, with very calm features created by the stretched out eyes, the thin, closed mouth that is not tight, and the very fine nose. Two sculptures can be compared to this one: Richard de Plaine's priant from the Jacobins chapel in Poligny and the Saint Jean on the calvary in the Saint-Anatoile church in Salins. Anatoile church in Salins (fig. a and b). Art historians have put forward the name of an imagier for these two sculptures: Jean de Blany, who is also said to have worked in Geneva for the Duchess Anne de Savoie. A follower of Jean de La Huerta, Jean de Blany pursued the same style of face painting, revealing an almost eternal youthfulness, with fine, peaceful features. Book consulted: J. Baudoin, La sculpture flamboyante en Bourgogne et Franche-Comté, Nonette, 1993, pp 197-199