Saint Etienne En Bois, First Quarter Of The 14th Century.

A wooden Saint Stephen, probably made of ash or oak, is depicted tonsured, holding the instrument of his martyrdom, the stones in his left hand, and a book, the Bible, in his right. He wears his deacon's dalmatic, formerly polychromed in red, representing the blood of his martyrdom. His face, typical of early 14th-century art, shows the saint of the first century, confident and resolute. The ridges of his nose extending to the arches, the almond-shaped eyes, and the overall form of his face link him to the art of the late reign of Philip the Fair, the "time of the cursed kings" (see the 1998 exhibition "Philip the Fair" at the Grand Palais). Carved from a single, imposing tree trunk, the sculpture is in good condition; the woodworm is stabilized, and the front face shows very little. Height: 1.2 m; Diameter: 20 cm.