Computed tomography (CT) has a wide use in radiodiagnostics. This method can be used also in investigations of historical objects of art. The decisive advantage is the opportunity to investigate the internal structure of these objects without damaging them. The authors used CT for investigating a wooden polychromatic medieval statue of unknown origin. It was a wooden statue of Virgin Mary with Jesus which was part of a foldable altar with four pictures of saints. The origin of this work was originally dated back to ca 1500. It was assumed that its author was a Czech belonging to the group of the author of the Litoměřice altar. During inspection of the statue by a historian of art of the National Gallery because of certain stylistic discrepancies in the structure of the statue, doubts arouse as to the correct date of origin of the statue. CT examination by means of an examination windowcommonly used for evaluation of the structure of the lungs (centre of the window - 700 HU, width 1000 HU) revealed that original parts of the statue are the body of the madonna, her crown and the back of Jesus’ head. New are Jesus’ body, the right hand and head of the madonna, the lower part of the drapery and shoes. The polychromy is integral and relatively well preserved. The statue was obviously thoroughly repaired and then provided with polychromy. CT makes it possible to investigate old wooden relicts without damaging their struc- ture.

        Key words: CT - wood - wooden medieval statue