Bust of a leaning man

This Bust of a Leaning Man, a masterpiece of Gothic sculpture attributed to Nikolaus Gerhaert von Leyden, is proof of the sculptor’s exceptional talent. His subject is portrayed deep in thought. The man’s folded arms and tilted head create a sort of spiral, suggestive of withdrawal into intense meditation. The sculpture, imbued with melencholy, has sometimes been seen as a self-portrait. The detailed, sensitive observation of reality is remarkable, particularly the precise rendering of the wrinkled skin and naturalness of gesture. But, exercising  sharp insight, the sculptor has gone beyond mere physical appearances to grasp the inner life of his model.

These "buste accoudé" figures, portrayed in high relief with the elbow supported on an architectural feature, were subsequently adopted in all the southern regions of the Empire.  But Nikolaus von Leyden’s successors in Strasbourg never achieved the same mastery of psychological analysis, content with naturalistic renderings of facial features. This can be seen in two busts from the reredos of the high altar of the cathedral by Nikolaus of Haguenau, displayed on the left-hand wall of this room. The mental concentration so evident in the works of Nikolaus von Leyden is lacking, replaced here by more straightforward facial expressions.