Romanesque school, possibly Catalan, late 13th... Lot 46

Romanesque school, possibly Catalan, late 13th century. "Virgin and Child". Carved wood. Provenance: Spanish private collection. Measurements: 106 x 44 x 43 cm. The typology of the Virgin enthroned with Child was frequent in the Romanesque period. Mary, seated frontally with respect to the viewer, acts as the throne or seat of Christ, the supreme incarnation of Wisdom, while the Virgin is crowned, thus appearing as the queen of heaven. The typology is known as the "Sede Sapientiae" or "Throne of Wisdom", and there were notable examples in Catalonia. No emotional communication of any kind is established between the two figures, but rather the majesty, the regal aspect of both figures is encouraged. Mary, on the other hand, wears a long tunic and a cloak that falls in broken folds to the floor. A veil covers her hair, framing a serene and harmonious face. The Child holds an apple in his right hand, symbol of Original Sin. The canons tend towards elongation, reflecting the artist's interest in a symbolic, spiritualised representation. The faces and anatomy are defined by the softness of the curves, which already herald the transition to the Gothic style.