A Masterly Hand / Scientia Artis 9

119 Famke Peters and Vincent Cattersel 5 118 Fig. 5.33 Virgin and Child with a Bunch of Grapes, Bocholt, St Lawrence’s Church 5.33 The abovementioned Beek Calvary is stylistically related to its counterpart in Ellik om. 19 Th e two figures of the Virgin resemble each other in their posture and attire, and the general pattern of their drapery folds, and share facial features such as the sharply carved heavy eyebrows (figs. 6.18-6.19) . 20 Th eir noses and lips are differently shaped, however, and the character of the folds – voluminous and clearly legible in Beek; more complex and varied in Ellikom – differs as well. Moreover, the figures have a slightly differently proportioned body and head, the Ellikom Virgin being more prolonged in appearance than her counterpart in Beek. The two Evangelists also look alike in some respects, but the Beek John has a weightier appearance (fi gs. 6.14 -6.15). With the heavy yet agitated drapery of the mantle so dramatically flung back over his left arm and the rather rhetorical gesture he seems more vigorous and expressive, perhaps even mannered. He also has very stylised h air. 21 Th e Christ figures in these Calvary groups are much alike in terms of overall anatomy and physiognomy, as well as the drapery system of the loincloth (figs. 6.2 , 6.5). B ut there are differences in the rendering of anatomical details, hair, facial features and the shape and character of the drapery folds. The ribs, knees and feet are differently rendered, for instance. The more deeply bowed head of the Ellikom Christ is narrower and two disengaged irregularly worked hanks of hair fall to the shoulders. The Beek Christ, on the other hand, has a single ringlet that hangs over his right shoulder to end in a curl. On the left side of his head the hair forms a sort of roll, which lies against the face and the neck. In both cases the loincloth is knotted on the figure’s right hip and one end is drawn between the legs to the back. In the Ellikom Christ, however, an end hangs straight down on the figure’s rig ht, 22 wh ereas the ends of the Beek Christ’s loincloth flutter on both sides and its front folds also look puffier compared to the finer folds of the Ellikom figure’s garment. How are these Calvary groups related? Were they, for instance, made in the same workshop but with a lapse of time between them, thus evidencing of an evolution in sty le? 23 Is one copied from the other? Are they both copied from the same prototype? There are other illustrations of the complexity of the Elsloo group. Dendro- chronological analysis shows that the wood used for the Virgin from the Ellikom Calvary and the Virgin and Child with a Bunch of Grapes from Bocholt (fig. 5.33) came from the same tr ee. 24 Un like the Neeroeteren Christ the Saviour and the Siersdorf St John, however, which were also made from one and the same tree, they exhibit no convincing stylistic similarities – other than general characteristics of the Elsloo group – that might lead to an attribu- tion to the same hand or workshop. St Ambrose from Bocholt has the typical type of head used for bearded men in the Elsloo group, while elements like the exaggerated ridge of the brow and the rough execution of the hair and beard are most unusual (fig. 4.9) . Finally, as has already been remark ed, 25 the stern face and angular drapery folds of the Virgin from Geistingen (fig. 5.34) are reminiscent of the Mary from Beek. But in contrast to other Elsloo-related works the Geistingen figure lacks refinement, for the hands and wrists are graceless and heavy and the folds of her cloak are more weakly executed.