9
Spanish School. Gothic. Early 14th century.
1/10
Description
Spanish School. Gothic. Early 14th century.
"Seat of Wisdom (Sedes Sapientiae)"
Carved, gilded and polychromed wooden sculpture.
101 x 46 x 22 cm.
This sculpture is an impressive specimen of the Enthroned Virgin Mary with the Child, also known as a Virgin in Majesty, Seat of Wisdom or Sedes Sapientiae, which is in excellent condition despite the presence of some small volumetric losses in the Virgin Mary's legs or tiny marks caused by a past woodworm infestation. Its state of preservation, the sculptural quality of the piece, and the excellent polychromy mean that it is an artwork of great interest. As is often the case with this type of piece, the sculpture is only carved on the front, so the back, with the exception of part of the head and the crown, has been left uncarved, and even hollowed out to reduce weight.
The Latin term Sedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom or Throne of Wisdom) is used to designate the preferred medieval iconography of the Virgin with the Child. The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, is his main support, the "throne" of wisdom. This designation was first used in the 11th and 12th centuries by Peter Damiani and Guibert de Nogent to compare the Virgin Mary to the throne of Solomon. The origin of these representations is Byzantine, with a movement that culminates with the Gregorian Reform (1073), becoming popular from then on in the Western Church. As is common in this type of Gothic representation, the Virgin has been portrayed facing forward, with a rigid body and a general hieratism that gives her an aura of majesty and timelessness. She appears to be seated on a throne without a backrest.
The Virgin places her left hand on the left shoulder of her Son - a detail that leads Professor Clara Fernández-Ladreda to refer to this typology of groups of the Virgin with the Child as "Supporting Virgins" - showing a close and affectionate relationship between Mother and Son. In turn, she extends her right arm and keeps her hand with the palm up, holding a fruit between her fingers. It appears to be a pear, which, along with the apple, are the two most common fruits in this type of representation.
Mary has a beautiful face that contrasts with the seriousness of her expression. She has large almond-shaped black eyes, with eyelids and lashes highlighted by the polychromy, which has also been used to blush her cheeks and chin. She has a wide, very naturalistic nose with sculpted nostrils, a small closed mouth, and a strong chin and jaw. Her golden hair falls symmetrically on both sides of her face in sinuous strands reaching to her back. Her head is covered by a bluish veil with a gold border cinched around the edges. On top of this, Mary is wears a large crown decorated in its middle band with a succession of rhomboidal gemstones alternately red and green. On her chest, she wears a golden medallion composed of a kind of central cabochon surrounded by others of a similar but smaller size.
The Virgin wears a long tunic with a parabolic neckline that covers her entire body, from which only the head, hands, and pointed tips of her shoes escape. It is blue and is intermittently decorated with pairs of horizontal golden stripes delimited by thin, red borders. Above it, she wears a golden mantle with the collar lapels folded. It covers her shoulders, back, abdomen and right leg, also serving as a separation between Mother and Child on the left thigh. The Child Jesus rests on his mother's lap. He is seated on his Mother's left knee, with his legs open and his feet touching the Virgin's other knee. This typology is one of the most widespread iconographic types, which, according to Georg Weise, has its origin in the Virgin of Slavery in the cathedral of Vitoria, dated to the end of the 13th century. Although the effigy of Jesus has also been conceived with noticeable stiffness, this is softened by the detail of keeping one leg bent. He looks at the viewer, to whom he grants his blessing with his right hand, while holding an open book between the fingers of his left hand. He wears a wide white tunic decorated with diamond-shaped motifs inscribed within other red and blue diamonds, colours that are also found on the neckline and sleeves. Above it, he wears a mantle that covers his sword and legs. Jesus maintains a serious and impassive face. Despite this, his large blue eyes give him great expressiveness. He has a short and flattened hairstyle like a cap, and a rounded head.
Although its origin cannot be determined, this is undoubtedly a very significant Gothic ensemble created in a workshop in the north of the peninsula dating back to the 14th century, perhaps in the first decades of the same. To its remarkable sculptural quality, we must add the candour that both figures exude and the excellent state of preservation of their delightful polychromy.
We would like to thank dr. Javier Baladrón, Doctor of Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this sculpture.
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Spanish School. Gothic. Early 14th century.
"Seat of Wisdom (Sedes Sapientiae)"
Carved, gilded and polychromed wooden sculpture.
101 x 46 x 22 cm.
This sculpture is an impressive specimen of the Enthroned Virgin Mary with the Child, also known as a Virgin in Majesty, Seat of Wisdom or Sedes Sapientiae, which is in excellent condition despite the presence of some small volumetric losses in the Virgin Mary's legs or tiny marks caused by a past woodworm infestation. Its state of preservation, the sculptural quality of the piece, and the excellent polychromy mean that it is an artwork of great interest. As is often the case with this type of piece, the sculpture is only carved on the front, so the back, with the exception of part of the head and the crown, has been left uncarved, and even hollowed out to reduce weight.
The Latin term Sedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom or Throne of Wisdom) is used to designate the preferred medieval iconography of the Virgin with the Child. The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, is his main support, the "throne" of wisdom. This designation was first used in the 11th and 12th centuries by Peter Damiani and Guibert de Nogent to compare the Virgin Mary to the throne of Solomon. The origin of these representations is Byzantine, with a movement that culminates with the Gregorian Reform (1073), becoming popular from then on in the Western Church. As is common in this type of Gothic representation, the Virgin has been portrayed facing forward, with a rigid body and a general hieratism that gives her an aura of majesty and timelessness. She appears to be seated on a throne without a backrest.
The Virgin places her left hand on the left shoulder of her Son - a detail that leads Professor Clara Fernández-Ladreda to refer to this typology of groups of the Virgin with the Child as "Supporting Virgins" - showing a close and affectionate relationship between Mother and Son. In turn, she extends her right arm and keeps her hand with the palm up, holding a fruit between her fingers. It appears to be a pear, which, along with the apple, are the two most common fruits in this type of representation.
Mary has a beautiful face that contrasts with the seriousness of her expression. She has large almond-shaped black eyes, with eyelids and lashes highlighted by the polychromy, which has also been used to blush her cheeks and chin. She has a wide, very naturalistic nose with sculpted nostrils, a small closed mouth, and a strong chin and jaw. Her golden hair falls symmetrically on both sides of her face in sinuous strands reaching to her back. Her head is covered by a bluish veil with a gold border cinched around the edges. On top of this, Mary is wears a large crown decorated in its middle band with a succession of rhomboidal gemstones alternately red and green. On her chest, she wears a golden medallion composed of a kind of central cabochon surrounded by others of a similar but smaller size.
The Virgin wears a long tunic with a parabolic neckline that covers her entire body, from which only the head, hands, and pointed tips of her shoes escape. It is blue and is intermittently decorated with pairs of horizontal golden stripes delimited by thin, red borders. Above it, she wears a golden mantle with the collar lapels folded. It covers her shoulders, back, abdomen and right leg, also serving as a separation between Mother and Child on the left thigh. The Child Jesus rests on his mother's lap. He is seated on his Mother's left knee, with his legs open and his feet touching the Virgin's other knee. This typology is one of the most widespread iconographic types, which, according to Georg Weise, has its origin in the Virgin of Slavery in the cathedral of Vitoria, dated to the end of the 13th century. Although the effigy of Jesus has also been conceived with noticeable stiffness, this is softened by the detail of keeping one leg bent. He looks at the viewer, to whom he grants his blessing with his right hand, while holding an open book between the fingers of his left hand. He wears a wide white tunic decorated with diamond-shaped motifs inscribed within other red and blue diamonds, colours that are also found on the neckline and sleeves. Above it, he wears a mantle that covers his sword and legs. Jesus maintains a serious and impassive face. Despite this, his large blue eyes give him great expressiveness. He has a short and flattened hairstyle like a cap, and a rounded head.
Although its origin cannot be determined, this is undoubtedly a very significant Gothic ensemble created in a workshop in the north of the peninsula dating back to the 14th century, perhaps in the first decades of the same. To its remarkable sculptural quality, we must add the candour that both figures exude and the excellent state of preservation of their delightful polychromy.
We would like to thank dr. Javier Baladrón, Doctor of Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this sculpture.
Y nos dieron las 100...
Sale Date(s)
Lots: 84
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The purchase price includes the delivery of the lots in the venue of the auction. Transporting to other destinations is at the own risk of the client. The customer must contact "LST", to give the corresponding instructions for such transporting. "LST" is not responsible for the packaging or any accident incurred during transportation.
Important Information
This auction brings us to number 100!
On this special occasion, we present a careful selection of European and New Spanish works, including a previously unpublished painting by Luca Giordano, a magnificent private collection of medieval Spanish sculpture and wonderful examples of painting and sculpture from Spanish America art among other.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we did preparing it.
With our thanks to all those who have made it possible for us to get this far.
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