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Attributed to Pedro de la Cuadra (?, 16th century – Valladolid, 1629)
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Description
Attributed to Pedro de la Cuadra (?, 16th century – Valladolid, 1629).
"The Embrace at the Golden Gate" and "The Presentation in the Temple"
Pair of carved, gilded, and polychromed wooden reliefs. Late 16th century.
98 x 42,5 x 11 cm and 98 x 45 x 12 cm.
There is a study and reproduction of the reliefs in the article "A Private Collection of Sculpture" (2005), by Jesús María Parrado del Olmo, pages 149-161 of volume 71 of the BSAA Arte magazine (https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/9173).
We have here a pair of remarkable reliefs, "The Embrace at the Golden Gate" and "The Presentation in the Temple," attributed to the circle of the sculptor Manuel Álvarez (ca. 1517-ca. 1589) who was based in Palencia, Spain. Originally, they may have been part of an altarpiece dedicated to the life of the Virgin Mary, where they would have been located in the side sections along with other episodes such as the Birth of the Virgin or that of the Christ Child. Both scenes are not portrayed head on, but instead employ divergent perspectives, with the first having an elevated viewpoint and the second a low perspective, from bottom to top. Likewise, both reliefs present a diverse group of characters, but with skilfully elaborated compositions that tend to be arranged symmetrically.
The relief of "The Embrace at the Golden Gate" presents the two main characters of the passage, St. Joachim and St. Anne, embracing and gazing sweetly at each other, while being observed with surprise by two pairs of characters: on the left are two characters with thick beards and moustaches, of whom only their heads are just visible, the one closest to the viewer also shows his hand holding a cloak. On the right side, we find the most expressive figure of the group, a woman who tilts her head back and opens her hands in a surprised attitude, and behind her, just in the arch of the golden gate, the head of another blonde woman. This relief is characterised by narrative clarity, as the sculptor gives the greatest importance to the central group of the sacred couple, whom he conceives almost free-standing, showing them in full body, while the other four secondary characters are only partially carved and in smaller relief gradations, ranging from the high relief of the heads of the characters closest to the main scene to the flatness of those in the background, whose heads are barely visible.
The other relief, "The Presentation in the Temple," follows the same parameters in terms of ensuring that the viewer understands the action taking place and the main characters involved. Thus, in the foreground, and captured in full body and with a relief that in some parts is almost free-standing, we have the Virgin with the Child in her arms climbing the stairs, and opposite her is a servant kneeling with a basket full of doves that will be used during the Purification ritual. In the background, in the form of a frieze, we find four male figures: the most recognisable are those of the elderly Simeon, wearing a mitre and with his hands clasped in prayer, and St. Joseph on the far right, characterised as an elderly man - until the Renaissance, it was common to see St. Joseph in a secondary space, somewhat marginalised with respect to the Virgin and Child, but from the Baroque period onward, his figure would undergo a physical rejuvenation and achieve the same importance as theirs. To these characters are added two rabbis with long beards and heads covered by mantles. On this occasion, the background of the scene is more elaborate, so that behind a curtain and in a kind of chapel with classical resonances, the Ark of the Covenant is painted on an altar, flanked by two candles and with a lamp hanging above it. On the sides are carved two large curtains with thick, red folds and painted with floral decorations.
In both reliefs, we observe the same stylistic characteristics, all of which refer to Romanist mannerism or Romanism: the narrative clarity with which both scenes have been composed; the expressive force; the heavy, naturally falling folds that run through the garments; the characterisation of men with long beards formed from sinuous locks, etc. Additionally, we find the search for elegance combined with formal perfection. The polished polychromy of both reliefs enhances their value as it covers their tunics in beautiful flat colours combined with various decorative motifs painted and with sgraffito.
Professor Parrado del Olmo accurately points to the Valladolid sculptor Pedro de la Cuadra (ca. 1572-1629) as the possible sculptor of these two magnificent reliefs, which he would have executed during the last decade of the 16th century, that is, during the initial stage of his activity, with which they share certain similarities in physical types and facial features. Parrado del Olmo observes some similarities, especially in the female types - Greek noses, certain schematism in the carving, and stiff anatomies - and also in the way the perspective has been conceived in both scenes, with the series of reliefs that the sculptor made for the missing altarpiece of La Merced Calzada in Valladolid (1599-1600). The altarpiece had been started by Adrián Álvarez in 1597 but left unfinished in 1599 due to his death. It is now kept in the National Museum of Sculpture. After this Romanism period, Pedro de la Cuadra aimed to adapt to the naturalistic trend, attempting to imitate the style and some of the iconographic types created by Gregorio Fernández (1576-1636).
We would like to thank Dr. Javier Baladrón, Doctor in Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this artwork.
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Attributed to Pedro de la Cuadra (?, 16th century – Valladolid, 1629).
"The Embrace at the Golden Gate" and "The Presentation in the Temple"
Pair of carved, gilded, and polychromed wooden reliefs. Late 16th century.
98 x 42,5 x 11 cm and 98 x 45 x 12 cm.
There is a study and reproduction of the reliefs in the article "A Private Collection of Sculpture" (2005), by Jesús María Parrado del Olmo, pages 149-161 of volume 71 of the BSAA Arte magazine (https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/9173).
We have here a pair of remarkable reliefs, "The Embrace at the Golden Gate" and "The Presentation in the Temple," attributed to the circle of the sculptor Manuel Álvarez (ca. 1517-ca. 1589) who was based in Palencia, Spain. Originally, they may have been part of an altarpiece dedicated to the life of the Virgin Mary, where they would have been located in the side sections along with other episodes such as the Birth of the Virgin or that of the Christ Child. Both scenes are not portrayed head on, but instead employ divergent perspectives, with the first having an elevated viewpoint and the second a low perspective, from bottom to top. Likewise, both reliefs present a diverse group of characters, but with skilfully elaborated compositions that tend to be arranged symmetrically.
The relief of "The Embrace at the Golden Gate" presents the two main characters of the passage, St. Joachim and St. Anne, embracing and gazing sweetly at each other, while being observed with surprise by two pairs of characters: on the left are two characters with thick beards and moustaches, of whom only their heads are just visible, the one closest to the viewer also shows his hand holding a cloak. On the right side, we find the most expressive figure of the group, a woman who tilts her head back and opens her hands in a surprised attitude, and behind her, just in the arch of the golden gate, the head of another blonde woman. This relief is characterised by narrative clarity, as the sculptor gives the greatest importance to the central group of the sacred couple, whom he conceives almost free-standing, showing them in full body, while the other four secondary characters are only partially carved and in smaller relief gradations, ranging from the high relief of the heads of the characters closest to the main scene to the flatness of those in the background, whose heads are barely visible.
The other relief, "The Presentation in the Temple," follows the same parameters in terms of ensuring that the viewer understands the action taking place and the main characters involved. Thus, in the foreground, and captured in full body and with a relief that in some parts is almost free-standing, we have the Virgin with the Child in her arms climbing the stairs, and opposite her is a servant kneeling with a basket full of doves that will be used during the Purification ritual. In the background, in the form of a frieze, we find four male figures: the most recognisable are those of the elderly Simeon, wearing a mitre and with his hands clasped in prayer, and St. Joseph on the far right, characterised as an elderly man - until the Renaissance, it was common to see St. Joseph in a secondary space, somewhat marginalised with respect to the Virgin and Child, but from the Baroque period onward, his figure would undergo a physical rejuvenation and achieve the same importance as theirs. To these characters are added two rabbis with long beards and heads covered by mantles. On this occasion, the background of the scene is more elaborate, so that behind a curtain and in a kind of chapel with classical resonances, the Ark of the Covenant is painted on an altar, flanked by two candles and with a lamp hanging above it. On the sides are carved two large curtains with thick, red folds and painted with floral decorations.
In both reliefs, we observe the same stylistic characteristics, all of which refer to Romanist mannerism or Romanism: the narrative clarity with which both scenes have been composed; the expressive force; the heavy, naturally falling folds that run through the garments; the characterisation of men with long beards formed from sinuous locks, etc. Additionally, we find the search for elegance combined with formal perfection. The polished polychromy of both reliefs enhances their value as it covers their tunics in beautiful flat colours combined with various decorative motifs painted and with sgraffito.
Professor Parrado del Olmo accurately points to the Valladolid sculptor Pedro de la Cuadra (ca. 1572-1629) as the possible sculptor of these two magnificent reliefs, which he would have executed during the last decade of the 16th century, that is, during the initial stage of his activity, with which they share certain similarities in physical types and facial features. Parrado del Olmo observes some similarities, especially in the female types - Greek noses, certain schematism in the carving, and stiff anatomies - and also in the way the perspective has been conceived in both scenes, with the series of reliefs that the sculptor made for the missing altarpiece of La Merced Calzada in Valladolid (1599-1600). The altarpiece had been started by Adrián Álvarez in 1597 but left unfinished in 1599 due to his death. It is now kept in the National Museum of Sculpture. After this Romanism period, Pedro de la Cuadra aimed to adapt to the naturalistic trend, attempting to imitate the style and some of the iconographic types created by Gregorio Fernández (1576-1636).
We would like to thank Dr. Javier Baladrón, Doctor in Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this artwork.
Y nos dieron las 100...
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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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