Gothic Capital - Burgundy, 15th Century

Gothic capital

Burgundy limestone carved with vine scrolls, grapes and rosettes in high relief
Burgundy, 15th century
30 × 63 × 28 cm
Provenance: Georges Joseph Demotte Collection

Carved in finely grained pinkish Burgundy limestone, this large hexagonal capital is adorned with an exuberant vegetal decoration of vine leaves, grapes and rosettes, sculpted in high relief with remarkable precision. The luxuriant foliage seems to coil and spring from the molded astragal, embodying a kind of “petrified vegetation” characteristic of late Gothic sculpture in Burgundy.

Medieval sculptors did not seek botanical accuracy; instead, plants carried a rich symbolic meaning. The vine, associated with Christ and the Eucharist, symbolizes the wine of eternal life; the rose, appearing rhythmically on the surface, evokes the Virgin’s love and purity — the rosa sine spina of Saint Bernard.

Throughout Gothic architecture, vegetal ornamentation emphasized the vital energy and rhythm of structure, adorning capitals, ribs and friezes with lively foliage motifs.

This capital belonged to the collection of Georges Joseph Demotte (1877–1923), the influential Belgian art dealer and connoisseur of Gothic sculpture, who introduced medieval art to major American collectors and museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.