This seated holy bishop from Lübeck is one of those objects which manages to look both battered and quietly magnificent. It probably once formed part of the carved decoration at the Schiffergesellschaft (or the shipmasters’ guild) at the Burgkirche. The figure sits in full episcopal dignity, wearing a mitre and raising one hand in blessing.
In the period around 1380 to 1400, it was carved in oak and would originally have been much richer in colour, with traces of paint and gilding although that has mostly all gone now. I get intrigued by pieces like this because of their heritage and the journey that it has had through history. It’s thought that it’s probably St. Nicholas who is the patron saint of boatmen, although there’s some guesswork there.
The Burgkirche in Lübeck was the church of the Burgkloster, the former Dominican monastery. Unfortunately, and in a rather sub-optimal manner, it mostly fell down in 1818 and so it was thought best to demolish the rest. Bits of the building have survived, but it’s the surviving decorations and sculptures that almost feel the most authentic part of the whole arrangement now.