16
Castilian school. 16th century.
1/4
Description
Castilian school. 16th century.
‘Temperance’ and “Justice”.
Pair of carved, walnut wood reliefs.
47,5 x 42,5 cm. each.
This pair of incredible quadrangular white walnut wood reliefs representing Temperance and Justice must have originally belonged to a liturgical piece of furniture which would also have contained the other two Cardinal Virtues, i.e. Fortitude and Prudence. It is most likely that they were part of a set of Renaissance pews - without categorically ruling out their belonging to a cupboard or a door - as representations of the Virtues were quite common in the pews of this period due to their moralising character, as we must bear in mind that the moral conduct of the Human Being rested on them.
Given the technical characteristics of both reliefs, the remarkable skill and finesse with which they are carved, and the fact that sculpting in walnut and the making of pews and other ecclesiastical furniture were not commissioned from just any master, it seems clear that their sculptor was a relevant sculptor of the Castilian school and that they were carved around the second third of the 16th century.
Both Virtues have been depicted, as is often the case, as women of classical appearance, almost like Roman matrons or noble maidens with sophisticated headdresses. They wear wide, fine garments completely covered with small pleats that make the edges of the garments extremely faceted.The wet cloth technique is simulated in some areas, with which not only the plastic and volumetric values of the reliefs are highlighted but also the voluptuousness of the women, since through these fine garments the rounded forms of their bodies are suggested. As a general rule, they are worked in bas-relief, but in the most relevant areas, such as the heads, hands and attributes, the relief acquires greater volume, close to being in the round, but never quite reaching it.
The heads are small, round and have expressive faces, serious in the case of Justice and more serene in that of Temperance. They have slanting eyes, carved with great detail both in the iris and the eyelids, and above them, sharp curved eyebrows that give them personality, as well as a chiaroscuro in the area of the eye sockets that enhances their volume. The facial features comprise smooth foreheads, broad, elongated noses, marked nasolabial folds, small open mouths with thick lips and bulging cheekbones. The ears are not visible due to the elaborate headdresses that almost completely obscure their hair. In the case of Justice, we can see a scarf that leaves free a couple of snaky locks that slide down her temples, and a ribbon that the anonymous sculptor models with great skill, creating a series of curves and counter-curves while displaying it from different profiles with multiple folds. For her part, Temperance also wears a kind of veil that leaves free a pair of locks of similar characteristics to those of Justice. Above the veil, the end of which seems to be moved by the wind, is a winged head of a putti, one of the most characteristic elements of Renaissance vocabulary. This same putti is found on Justice's neckline, almost like a brooch. Finally, Temperance wears a kind of cloth hanging from the ends of the buckles that cover her ears.
Both women are perfectly identified both by the Latin signs carved on the upper part of the panels - ‘TEMPERATIA’ and ‘IVSTICIA’- and by the attributes they hold in their hands. Thus Justice elegantly holds a scale in her right hand - the allegory of the equality with which she must act - while in her left hand she wields a sword - the symbol of the strength with which she imposes herself - whose long blade occupies the entire height of the panel. Temperance, on the other hand, is seen pouring water from a jug over a wide goblet filled with wine in order to temper what is too stimulating.
The conception of the two figures differs from each other, for while Temperance presents a closed composition, withdrawn in on itself, as well as having a calmer character as it embodies the Virtue it is representing, Justice is conceived with an open composition -see the arms- and shows a more decisive and dynamic spirit. Both differences in state, tranquillity and impetuosity, can be seen in another specific detail that they both share: the way in which the wind moves or waves the scarf or ribbon that covers their hair.
We would like to thank Dr. Javier Baladrón, doctor in Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this work.
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Castilian school. 16th century.
‘Temperance’ and “Justice”.
Pair of carved, walnut wood reliefs.
47,5 x 42,5 cm. each.
This pair of incredible quadrangular white walnut wood reliefs representing Temperance and Justice must have originally belonged to a liturgical piece of furniture which would also have contained the other two Cardinal Virtues, i.e. Fortitude and Prudence. It is most likely that they were part of a set of Renaissance pews - without categorically ruling out their belonging to a cupboard or a door - as representations of the Virtues were quite common in the pews of this period due to their moralising character, as we must bear in mind that the moral conduct of the Human Being rested on them.
Given the technical characteristics of both reliefs, the remarkable skill and finesse with which they are carved, and the fact that sculpting in walnut and the making of pews and other ecclesiastical furniture were not commissioned from just any master, it seems clear that their sculptor was a relevant sculptor of the Castilian school and that they were carved around the second third of the 16th century.
Both Virtues have been depicted, as is often the case, as women of classical appearance, almost like Roman matrons or noble maidens with sophisticated headdresses. They wear wide, fine garments completely covered with small pleats that make the edges of the garments extremely faceted.The wet cloth technique is simulated in some areas, with which not only the plastic and volumetric values of the reliefs are highlighted but also the voluptuousness of the women, since through these fine garments the rounded forms of their bodies are suggested. As a general rule, they are worked in bas-relief, but in the most relevant areas, such as the heads, hands and attributes, the relief acquires greater volume, close to being in the round, but never quite reaching it.
The heads are small, round and have expressive faces, serious in the case of Justice and more serene in that of Temperance. They have slanting eyes, carved with great detail both in the iris and the eyelids, and above them, sharp curved eyebrows that give them personality, as well as a chiaroscuro in the area of the eye sockets that enhances their volume. The facial features comprise smooth foreheads, broad, elongated noses, marked nasolabial folds, small open mouths with thick lips and bulging cheekbones. The ears are not visible due to the elaborate headdresses that almost completely obscure their hair. In the case of Justice, we can see a scarf that leaves free a couple of snaky locks that slide down her temples, and a ribbon that the anonymous sculptor models with great skill, creating a series of curves and counter-curves while displaying it from different profiles with multiple folds. For her part, Temperance also wears a kind of veil that leaves free a pair of locks of similar characteristics to those of Justice. Above the veil, the end of which seems to be moved by the wind, is a winged head of a putti, one of the most characteristic elements of Renaissance vocabulary. This same putti is found on Justice's neckline, almost like a brooch. Finally, Temperance wears a kind of cloth hanging from the ends of the buckles that cover her ears.
Both women are perfectly identified both by the Latin signs carved on the upper part of the panels - ‘TEMPERATIA’ and ‘IVSTICIA’- and by the attributes they hold in their hands. Thus Justice elegantly holds a scale in her right hand - the allegory of the equality with which she must act - while in her left hand she wields a sword - the symbol of the strength with which she imposes herself - whose long blade occupies the entire height of the panel. Temperance, on the other hand, is seen pouring water from a jug over a wide goblet filled with wine in order to temper what is too stimulating.
The conception of the two figures differs from each other, for while Temperance presents a closed composition, withdrawn in on itself, as well as having a calmer character as it embodies the Virtue it is representing, Justice is conceived with an open composition -see the arms- and shows a more decisive and dynamic spirit. Both differences in state, tranquillity and impetuosity, can be seen in another specific detail that they both share: the way in which the wind moves or waves the scarf or ribbon that covers their hair.
We would like to thank Dr. Javier Baladrón, doctor in Art History, for the identification and cataloguing of this work.
Allegories, Legends and Holinesses
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Lots: 170
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From 50.-€ to 200.-€…………………………………………..at 10.-€
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