Getty acquires rare medieval sculpture

The Getty Museum has acquired a rare medieval alabaster sculpture of St. Philip. Dating from 1420 to 1430, the statue represents the apostle Philip holding a cross, referencing his death by crucifixion.

It was carved by the master of the Rimini Altarpiece, the most influential alabaster sculptor of the South Netherlands in the early 1400s. The artist is most known for an alabaster altarpiece that once adorned the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Covignano, Italy.

The statue is believed to have once belonged to a group of the Twelve Apostles and displayed in a church or private palace.

The St. Philip statue is marked by exceptional quality and preservation, according to a Getty press release. “The drapery folds, beard, teeth, and wrinkles around the eyes are carved with great finesse. Working on a very small scale, the artist succeeds at conveying the saint’s religious devotion through a remarkably vivid facial expression.”

The medieval sculpture is on display in the Getty Museum’s North Pavilion, Gallery N103, at the Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles.