Italy was at the heart of the Renaissance which took place in Europe across the 15^th and 16^th centuries. The region of Tuscany and the city of Florence were the epicentre of a period of outstanding cultural and scientific achievement, which spanned from painting, architecture, literature, philosophy, science, and of course, sculpture.

Some of the most famous artworks in the world were created during the Renaissance (the French word for rebirth), including the painting of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo de Vinci, the statue of David by Michelangelo, and the architecture of Brunelleschi. The Italian artisans worked with a wide range of materials, including stone, metals, and wood.

After centuries of austerity, churches across Europe began to display beautiful and intricate wood carvings to depict religious figures, symbols, and scenes from the Bible. Wood was considered particularly apt for churches, because it is a living material representing the Cross of Christ, and trees often took on a religious significance in the era.

Wood was also of course readily available, and less costly than stone or metals. The preferred species for carving were walnut, poplar, and limewood. According to Christie’s, the grandest and most intricate wooden sculptures which survive from the era in European churches are made from limewood.

Limewood was the favourite material of most sculptors because it is crisp and easy to work, yet also strong, stable and durable. It provides the crisp edges which are needed for creating realistic details in lifelike works, and it is less prone to warping, chipping, and crumbling than other species of wood.

In fact, limewood is still very popular today for hand carving, because it is lightweight and close grained, meaning that it gives a smooth finish which doesn’t crack easily. Musical instruments and decorative objects, such as Welsh love spoons, are often made from limewood.

While sculpture as an artform flourished in Italy, it is in Northern Europe, and Germany in particular, that the most celebrated examples of religious limewood sculpture are to be found today. Christie’s explains that this is partly because Germany is richly blessed in forests, so the highly prized limewood trees were easily obtainable.

It seems that some Renaissance limewood sculpture has fallen to the fate of woodworm, either being completely destroyed or pitted with holes. However, many celebrated examples remain, particularly in the churches of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

One of the most well-known sculptors of the era was Veit Stoss (1450-1533), who carved the stunning High Altar of St Mary’s Church, Krakow.

Tilman Riemenschneider (circa 1460–1531) was another leading Renaissance sculptor, who is celebrated for his lifelike and expressive woodcarvings which adorned altarpieces, and many of which remain in situ in German churches, or are displayed in museums.

The exuberant living breathing quality of the limewood sculptures of the Renaissance eventually fell out of favour as the Reformation swept across Europe in the 16^th century. Thankfully, the legacy of so much beautiful woodwork still remains strong today.