Carved Oak Retable of 1504 from Saint Bavon, Ghent, Antique Print, 1851

This is an original antique chromolithograph, printed in sepia and brown, lettered "RÉTABLE en chêne sculpté (1504) provenant de la Cathédrale de St Bavon (Gand) représentant la vie de St Bavon en 6 épisodes principaux. Appartient, à l'Alliance des Arts (Pour les détails historiques, voir à la table alphabétique des planches, St BAVON.)" An arched case with quatrefoil cresting holds three compartments, each in two tiers, making six crowded scenes, the central ones showing a figure enthroned among attendants. A small group of figures stands in a niche below the center, and a group of three figures crowns the top. The tall base has two rows of small standing saints between turned balusters.

The caption translates as "retable in carved oak (1504) from the Cathedral of Saint Bavon (Ghent), showing the life of Saint Bavo in six principal episodes. Belongs to the Alliance des Arts (for historical details, see the alphabetical table of plates, under Saint Bavon)." The running head reads "AMEUBLEMENTS RELIGIEUX Pl. 15." The credits read "Kellerhoven del et lith." and "Chromolith. Engelmann et Graf.", with "F. Séré direxit" beneath.

Le Moyen Âge et la Renaissance was published in Paris in five volumes between 1848 and 1851. Paul Lacroix, who also wrote as the Bibliophile Jacob, edited the text, and Ferdinand Séré directed the illustrations, which is why his name and the word direxit stand beneath every plate. The work surveys the manners, crafts, sciences and arts of medieval and Renaissance Europe, and its chromolithographed plates record objects held around 1850 in churches, museums and private collections. This plate is from the fourth volume, dated 1851, plate fifteen of the section on church furniture.

It pairs well with the plate of the Saint Bavon retable of the life of the Virgin.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.