Antique Lusterweibchen Depicting Lucretia, Germany 1900

An impressive antique chandelier depicting Saint Lucretia, the Roman heroine who turns the dagger against herself and commits suicide after she has been violated. The archetype of this luster was designed in the 16th century and is hanging in the townhall of Sterzing in Austria. The finely hand-carved and painted wooden figure dates from around 1900 and shows Lucretia dressed in richly detailed Renaissance-style garments, holding a sword in one hand and a candle holder in the other. The sculpture is mounted on natural deer antlers and suspended by wrought iron chains adorned with hand-forged iron roses. Manufactured in Germany circa 1900. A striking and historically inspired centerpiece in very good condition.

A characteristic example of a lusterweibchen is a wooden female bust with a lofty but pleasant glance. The sculpture is fastened with iron chains hanging from the ceiling, the body is fixed to a deer antler and shaped as a chandelier with wrought-iron candle holders. The first chandeliers which are designated to the so-called lusterweibchen can be assigned to the end of the 14th century. People were fascinated by the combination of art and nature and the impressive design emitted a subliminal apotropaic magic. Famous artists such as Veit Stoss, Albrecht Dürer and Tilman Riemenschneider designed marvellous unique lusterweibchen and set standards for many successors. From the second half of the 19th century until the beginning of World War I a fashionable domicile was equipped with a lusterweibchen. An industry of lusterweibchen manufacturers evolved and lusterweibchen could be purchased from catalogues. Lusterweibchen are multifaceted. Noble ladies, Dianas, mermaids and guilds are fondly used characters. But they are not majority female. There are also well-known mystical creatures (dragons, chimeras, animal and hybrid creatures) and popular lustermaennchen.

artfour is an owner-managed trading company that sells Black Forest wood carvings, antler furniture and an impressive variety of unique decorative items. Our antiques are on display in a century-old barn in southern Germany, which we renovated ourselves. Antiques have been our passion since the 1980s. We ship worldwide, perfectly packaged and with a money back guarantee. This allows us to be your preferred partner for the Black Forest and ancient art.

Measures:
Width: 17.72" (45 cm)
Height: 29.13" (74 cm)
Depth: 44.09" (112 cm)
Height figure: 21.26" (54 cm)


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: All of our items are in very good condition. They have been utilised and therefore may show age-related traces of usage. If not mentioned in the item description they don't have defects. Feel free to contact us for a detailled condition report.

Dimensions:
Height: 29.13 in.
Width: 17.72 in.
Depth: 44.09 in.

Category: Chandeliers
Origin: Germany
Materials: Antler, Iron, Wood

Shipping:

Domestic: Flat-rate of $300.00 to anywhere within the contiguous U.S.

International: No International Shipping for this auction.

Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.

Location: This item ships from Berghülen, BW

Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Chairish Auctions specialists are here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Chairish Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item.

Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; All of our items are in very good condition. They have been utilised and therefore may show age-related traces of usage. If not mentioned in the item description they don't have defects. Feel free to contact us for a detailled condition report.