Reliquary Bust of Saint Barbara 1465

The "Reliquary Bust of Saint Barbara" (1465) by Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden is a masterpiece of Late Gothic sculpture. Saint Barbara, a Christian martyr, is depicted as a young woman with a crown and a tower, her traditional attribute, in her hand. The bust is carved from lindenwood and painted with a polychrome finish, including gilding. This reliquary bust was likely used to house a small fragment of Saint Barbara's remains, making it a devotional object for the faithful. The sculpture's realistic details and expressive face illustrate Gerhaert's skill and the artistic flourishing of the Late Gothic period.