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Anonymous Basque-Navarre-Rioja. Late 13th century - Early 14…
Anonymous Basque-Navarre-Rioja. Late 13th century - Early 14…
Lot no. 7
Description
Anonymous Basque-Navarre-Rioja. Late 13th century - Early 14th century.
"Seat of Wisdom, Sedes Sapientiae".
Carved, gilded and polychrome wood sculpture.
90 x 39 x 31 cm.
The image of the Virgin and Child enthroned, derived directly from the Byzantine Theotokos and transformed in the West into the well-known Sedes Sapientiae, reached extraordinary diffusion between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, becoming one of the most widespread iconographies in medieval sculpture. The Latin term, which can be translated as “Throne of Wisdom,” refers to Mary’s role as the support of the incarnate Word, a designation already present in the writings of Peter Damian and Guibert of Nogent between the eleventh and twelfth centuries, when they compared the Mother of God to the throne of Solomon.
The Virgin Mary is depicted frontally, with the rigidity and hieratic quality characteristic of sculpture of this period, features that give her a majestic and timeless air. She is seated on a low seat without a high back and decorated with simple side moldings. The back is left uncarved except for the head, while the lower part has been hollowed out, creating a large cavity. With her left hand she holds the Child by the hip, while in her right she displays a fruit between her elongated fingers. It is probably a pear or an apple, the latter associated with the symbolism of Mary as the new Eve, with victory over sin and with the offering of the fruit of Salvation. Her face, oval and of great nobility, shows fine features: almond-shaped eyes, curved eyebrows, sharp nose, closed mouth with thin lips forming a slight smile, rosy cheeks, prominent chin and a slight double chin. Her head is framed by a veil that falls over her shoulders and covers almost entirely her blond hair, which is lightly carved in fine, wavy strands. She wears a gilded crown of considerable height thanks to the trilobed shapes embedded in it, which resemble stylized fleurs-de-lis, motifs commonly found in Marian sculpture from the northern regions of the Iberian Peninsula.
Mary’s attire consists of pointed shoes, of which only the front part is visible; a fine green tunic with a semicircular neckline edged in gold; and a similarly golden mantle whose shallow folds suggest the volume of the body. A small and sumptuous jewel resembling a rosette appears to hang from her chest.
The Child Jesus, resting on her lap, is seated on her left knee, forming one of the most widespread iconographic types and one which, according to Georg Weise, has its origin in the Virgin of the Esclavitud in Vitoria Cathedral, datable to the late thirteenth century. Although he retains the frontality and rigidity typical of these moments, his slight deviation from the central axis introduces a degree of dynamism and breaks complete symmetry. He wears a long tunic that leaves only the head and extremities uncovered. The loss of the right hand makes it impossible to know the original gesture, although it was almost certainly raised in blessing, though on some occasions he holds the globus cruciger, symbol of his power over the world. In his left hand he holds a closed book, symbol of divine wisdom and of the prophecies fulfilled in Christ. His facial features replicate those of his mother, although with a slightly more pronounced smile and a rounder face. His blond hair is short and voluminous.
Because of its formal characteristics, this delicate and gentle Virgin and Child can be dated to the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century and classified among the so-called Virgins of the Basque-Navarre-Rioja type, whether the work of a sculptor active in those regions or of one influenced by their models. Supporting this attribution are the depiction of Mary with an oval face, the presence of slight smiles, the high crown with trilobes, the type of throne with side moldings, and the frontal position of the Child holding the book.
We would like to thank Dr. Javier Baladrón, doctor in History of Art, for the identification and cataloguing of this work.
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