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Romanist School. Castile. Renaissance. Late 16th century.
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Description
Romanist School. Castile. Renaissance. Late 16th century.
"The Capture of Jesus"
Carved, gilded and polychromed wooden relief.
93 x 74 x 4,5 cm
A remarkable rectangular Romanesque relief that holds notable interest for various reasons: in addition to its remarkable technical quality, it presents a complete panorama of the Capture of Christ on the same panel, whereas it was common to depict only the moment when Jesus is arrested by the soldiers. Its large size leads us to believe that it was part of a sizeable Castilian Romanesque altarpiece, perhaps from Valladolid, from the late 16th century, with its main reliefs dedicated to the Passion cycle.
Emphasising the importance of this relief due to the comprehensive panorama it presents of the Capture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, to which he retired to pray after the Last Supper, and which is the episode that initiates his Passion, we observe that not only has the main motif of the Capture been depicted, but also the moment when Judas points out to the soldiers who Jesus is and the episode where, after Judas kissed Christ to betray him, Saint Peter prepares to cut off Malchus' ear.
The episode of the Capture in the Garden of Gethsemane, a location that is visually represented in the scene both by the tree and by the polychrome that simulates shrubs and uneven terrain, is one of the most famous of the Passion and one of the most successful in the visual arts from the Renaissance onwards. In the New Testament, the episode is covered by the four Evangelists, who coincide in their respective accounts in most of the details of what happened. Let us take, for example, the account of Saint John (18:1-14), which seems to describe the relief: "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground."
He asked them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"
The relief has an appreciable narrative and didactic character, as the sculptor has conceived the panel in two clearly differentiated registers: in the upper register, which is narrower and whose figures are small and carved in low relief, he has depicted the moment when Judas is at the gates of the Garden of Gethsemane - to leave no doubt about the place, the sculptor has carved a curved olive tree - and points out Jesus Christ to the soldiers and henchmen. The four henchmen, carved in different postures and carrying various weapons (pikes, axes, and swords), have just entered through a semicircular arch, wearing everything from military attire to simple tunics. The lower register is larger, which allows the figures to be monumental. These are characters of greater corporeality and carved in high relief, so that in some areas they almost appear to be free-standing. The four figures appear in the foreground and, although they are grouped two by two, they represent the same moment: on the right, Judas is about to embrace and kiss Jesus Christ, a signal that would indicate to the henchmen that he was the one they have come to arrest, while on the left, Saint Peter, to protect his Lord, grabs one of the henchmen, Malchus, by the beard, while drawing his sword to cut off his ear.
The sculptor has placed special emphasis on intricately carving the heads and hands, elements that give the characters greater realism, dramatic force, and expressiveness. The four main characters have been conceived with oval heads that highlight their softness. The facial features are meticulously carved: sunken almond-shaped eyes, arched eyebrows, straight, prominent noses, small, closed mouths, and robust hair and beards. The voluminous garments worn by these four main figures have also been worked with remarkable quality, presenting a multitude of heavy folds that give them special sculptural power.
In addition to the remarkable sculptural quality of the relief, especially evident in the four main characters, we must also mention the delicate polychromy used to paint their garments, based on flat tones with intricate gilded motifs scratched into the surface. The painter/polychromer also made great efforts to paint a landscape so that the sculptures fit perfectly. We can observe different types of shrubs, changes in terrain levels, etc.
There is no doubt that we are dealing with an excellent Romanist example from the early 17th century. Romanist Mannerism, or simply Romanism, was a trend of Mannerism that developed during the last third of the 16th century, and its term refers to the decisive influence of the forms and models of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) and the Roman Mannerist circles formed in his wake. Its introduction in Spain can be seen in the main altarpiece of the Cathedral of Astorga (1558-1562) by Gaspar Becerra (1520-1568). Romanesque sculpture is characterised by conveying a sense of timelessness and eternity and by presenting characters with vigorous and corpulent anatomies that adopt grandiose and dispassionate poses.
We would like to thank Mr. Javier Baladrón, Doctor of Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this work.
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Romanist School. Castile. Renaissance. Late 16th century.
"The Capture of Jesus"
Carved, gilded and polychromed wooden relief.
93 x 74 x 4,5 cm
A remarkable rectangular Romanesque relief that holds notable interest for various reasons: in addition to its remarkable technical quality, it presents a complete panorama of the Capture of Christ on the same panel, whereas it was common to depict only the moment when Jesus is arrested by the soldiers. Its large size leads us to believe that it was part of a sizeable Castilian Romanesque altarpiece, perhaps from Valladolid, from the late 16th century, with its main reliefs dedicated to the Passion cycle.
Emphasising the importance of this relief due to the comprehensive panorama it presents of the Capture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, to which he retired to pray after the Last Supper, and which is the episode that initiates his Passion, we observe that not only has the main motif of the Capture been depicted, but also the moment when Judas points out to the soldiers who Jesus is and the episode where, after Judas kissed Christ to betray him, Saint Peter prepares to cut off Malchus' ear.
The episode of the Capture in the Garden of Gethsemane, a location that is visually represented in the scene both by the tree and by the polychrome that simulates shrubs and uneven terrain, is one of the most famous of the Passion and one of the most successful in the visual arts from the Renaissance onwards. In the New Testament, the episode is covered by the four Evangelists, who coincide in their respective accounts in most of the details of what happened. Let us take, for example, the account of Saint John (18:1-14), which seems to describe the relief: "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground."
He asked them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"
The relief has an appreciable narrative and didactic character, as the sculptor has conceived the panel in two clearly differentiated registers: in the upper register, which is narrower and whose figures are small and carved in low relief, he has depicted the moment when Judas is at the gates of the Garden of Gethsemane - to leave no doubt about the place, the sculptor has carved a curved olive tree - and points out Jesus Christ to the soldiers and henchmen. The four henchmen, carved in different postures and carrying various weapons (pikes, axes, and swords), have just entered through a semicircular arch, wearing everything from military attire to simple tunics. The lower register is larger, which allows the figures to be monumental. These are characters of greater corporeality and carved in high relief, so that in some areas they almost appear to be free-standing. The four figures appear in the foreground and, although they are grouped two by two, they represent the same moment: on the right, Judas is about to embrace and kiss Jesus Christ, a signal that would indicate to the henchmen that he was the one they have come to arrest, while on the left, Saint Peter, to protect his Lord, grabs one of the henchmen, Malchus, by the beard, while drawing his sword to cut off his ear.
The sculptor has placed special emphasis on intricately carving the heads and hands, elements that give the characters greater realism, dramatic force, and expressiveness. The four main characters have been conceived with oval heads that highlight their softness. The facial features are meticulously carved: sunken almond-shaped eyes, arched eyebrows, straight, prominent noses, small, closed mouths, and robust hair and beards. The voluminous garments worn by these four main figures have also been worked with remarkable quality, presenting a multitude of heavy folds that give them special sculptural power.
In addition to the remarkable sculptural quality of the relief, especially evident in the four main characters, we must also mention the delicate polychromy used to paint their garments, based on flat tones with intricate gilded motifs scratched into the surface. The painter/polychromer also made great efforts to paint a landscape so that the sculptures fit perfectly. We can observe different types of shrubs, changes in terrain levels, etc.
There is no doubt that we are dealing with an excellent Romanist example from the early 17th century. Romanist Mannerism, or simply Romanism, was a trend of Mannerism that developed during the last third of the 16th century, and its term refers to the decisive influence of the forms and models of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) and the Roman Mannerist circles formed in his wake. Its introduction in Spain can be seen in the main altarpiece of the Cathedral of Astorga (1558-1562) by Gaspar Becerra (1520-1568). Romanesque sculpture is characterised by conveying a sense of timelessness and eternity and by presenting characters with vigorous and corpulent anatomies that adopt grandiose and dispassionate poses.
We would like to thank Mr. Javier Baladrón, Doctor of Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this work.
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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