Stamped, patinated and polychromed pipe clay devotional... Lot 172

Stamped, patinated and polychromed pipe clay devotional plate representing the Virgin and Child, known as Mary of Zoeterwoude, nimbus with Latin inscriptions Ave Maris stella, Dei Mater alma (Hail Star, Mother of God), and for Christ, Jesu redemptor omnium (O Jesus Redeemer of men). The frame is decorated with a text in Latin and Dutch: Salue maria gem(m)a pudic(tias)e (de) q(ua) mu(n) do illuxit sol iustici(a)e salue pia m(ate)r xpia noru(m) succur re filiis ad filiu(m) rege(m) a(n) geloru(m) q(ui)a tu es solamen decolatorum (Hail Mother, bud of chastity, shining like the sun of justice in the world, I salute you, pious mother of Christians, intercede for your children with your Son, the chief of angels, for you are the consolation of the afflicted), o Hoedert ierenste o sachtomodghe o soete maria bit den her vorons (O very good, O sweet, O gentle Mary, pray to the Lord for us) Utrecht, second half of the 15th century H. 40.5 cm. L. 20,7 cm. (broken and glued back together, restorations) Domestic and personal devotion called for the creation of small devotional objects such as the Utrecht pipe Madonna or saintly figures that are known and studied by art historians. The devotional plates are rarer and have received special attention for their quality of execution. Indeed, the details are rich, the inscriptions often numerous, the finesse of execution requires a fine clay, and the multitude of details requires a skill in stamping. This plaque, given its size, was reserved for personal devotion and was probably placed in an oratory. An inventory of the castle of Batesteine in Vianen from 1565 mentions a small plaster cast image standing on the altar of the chapel with a Virgin and Child in an interior. The depiction of the Virgin in a narrow interior, the texts of praise, refer to meditation and personal prayer. Indeed, the production of this type of plate is known in Utrecht. The Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht holds a model identical to the one presented here (BMH bs 614), it takes its name from the domain where it was found and thus identified. Book consulted: Dagmar Preising and Michael Rief, Mittelalterliche Bildwerke aus Urecht 1430-1530, catalog of the exhibition Made in Utrecht. Meisterwerke Mittelalterlicher Bildauerkunst from Museum Catharijeconvent, Utrecht, November 16, 2012 to February 24, 2013, p335