348 - "Sedes Sapientia" Virgin and Child, carved in the round from wood, mounted on a base, and polychromed.

"Sedes Sapientia" Virgin and Child, carved in the round from wood, mounted on a base, and polychromed. Seated on a throne-like bench, Mary holds her Son seated on her lap in front of her, very slightly off-center toward her right leg. The Virgin wears a short veil and a dress with a rectangular neckline. The folds form a supple pattern and fall vertically. The throne is equipped with armrests whose columns have chamfered corners. Northern Italy, circa 1300 H.: 70 cm (woodworm damage, losses, and imperfections) Expert: Mr. Benoit BERTRAND This Virgin of Majesty bears the stylistic characteristics of a transitional period. Indeed, the frontal pose still reveals the dominant features of Type 1 Virgins, in which Christ is positioned in front of his mother; here, he is slightly offset to the right, retaining his primary position but establishing a less distant relationship with his mother. Furthermore, the structure of the throne on which the Virgin sits also retains the principles of the thrones of wisdom from the High Middle Ages. Only the front portion of the seat is rendered, thereby downplaying the dominant position of the composition as a whole while opening the way to a more incarnate spirituality of the divine figure. Finally, the folds of the garments reveal the movements and forms of the bodies, thus offering a greater sense of naturalism, characteristic of the canons of the early 14th-century Gothic era. Information for buyers: All necessary export formalities will be the responsibility of the purchaser.