A French Limestone Figure of the Foolish Virgin

Circa 1450

probably originally part of a larger sculpture, perhaps a portal of the Last Judgement, with the Prudent Virgins on one side facing the challenging Foolish Virgins opposed.
Height 35 1/4 inches.

Property from The Brummer Collection from Drs. John and Pat Laszlo, Atlanta, Georgia

Note:

Ernest Brummer (1891-1964) was a renowned art dealer who, along with his brother Joseph, founded the historically significant Brummer Galleries, which held a paramount importance in both New York and Paris during the early to mid-20th century. The galleries played a role in shaping the tastes and collections of art enthusiasts and museums alike, introducing European art to American audiences and vice versa.

This heavily-draped sculpture depicts one of ten figures from the well-known Parable of the Ten Virgins, a popular parable of the Medieval period. According to Matthew 25: 1-13, she is one of five virgins who were unprepared to await their bridegroom and are disowned. The parable and its theme of preparedness for the Day of Judgement was a common subject in painting, sculpture and the architecture of Gothic cathedrals.

Exhibited:

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Centennial Acquisitions: Art Treasures for Tomorrow, February 4 - April 12, 1970