Lot 404: French Sandstone Corbel with a Winged Lion, 15th Century

French Sandstone Corbel with a Winged Lion, 15th Century
A carved sandstone architectural corbel depicting a winged lion in vigorous profile, the creature shown crouching beneath a projecting molded capital. The lion’s wings are rendered with tightly scored feathering, and the surrounding architectural elements retain crisp Gothic detailing. The sculptural block embodies the animated bestiary imagery favored throughout late-medieval French ecclesiastical architecture.
13 inches, 17 inches 22 inches
Provenance: Sothebys, New York, Lot 128
Property of the Philadelphia Museum of Art sold to benefit the Acquisitions fund
Purchased with Philadelphia Museum funds from the George Grey Barnard Collection, 1945
Literature: Martin Weinberger, The George Grey Barnard Collection, New York, 1941, no. 92, pl. XXVII;
Joan A. Holladay and Susan L. Ward, Gothic Sculpture in America, vol. III, The International Center for Medieval Art, New York, 2016, p. 445.
Fantastic beasts appeared in architecture throughout the Middle Ages. The present sculpture would have supported a statue or the springing of a vault, and it has been suggested that this piece may have served an heraldic function in a family chapel (Gothic Sculpture, op. cit., p. 445).

Please see photographs for condition, there will be no written condition reports due to age, additional photos may be requested

All lots are sold “AS IS.” Condition reports are available by request and answered in the order received starting the week of the sale. Our in-house buyer’s premium (for absentee and phone bidders) is 25%, with a 3% discount for payments by cash, check, wire, or Zelle. If bidding through a third-party platform, payment must be made through that platform. The online buyer’s premium for all third-party sites is 30% (no discounts). Our buyer’s premium on our own website is 30%, with a 3% discount for cash, check, wire, or Zelle payments for buyers using only our site or bidding in-house.

This condition report is provided as a courtesy and reflects our opinion only. Bidders should conduct their own due diligence. The absence of a report does not imply the lot is free of issues. Assessments are based on visual inspection; unless noted, items have not been examined under UV light, movements and electrical components have not been tested, and artworks are generally not removed from frames. We are not professional conservators, and this report is not a comprehensive condition evaluation. Images provided form part of the condition report and should be reviewed carefully. All sales are final. For in-person inspection, please call 860-246-2444 or email info@nadeausauction.com.

Estimate: $3000- $5000

Auction Date: January 1, 2026