244 - Pair of corbels; 17th century.

Pair of corbels; 17th century. Carved, polychrome, and gilded wood. They show signs of wear. Measurements: 24 x 15 x 19 cm (x2). Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. A pair of architectural-style corbels, carved from wood and decorated with polychrome and gilding, topped by figures of angels with curly hair emerging from volutes and ornate elements in high relief.The composition combines the angelic motif with a structural design of curved forms and volutes, creating a piece of great plasticity and decorative richness. The remnants of polychrome painting, featuring reddish, blue, and gold tones, lend the pieces a striking chromatic appeal and allow one to appreciate the sumptuousness characteristic of 17th-century Baroque ornamentation. Conceived as projecting elements serving both as supports and ornamentation, these corbels may have been part of an altarpiece, a religious ensemble, or a decorative structure of a sacred nature. Their sculptural design and the inclusion of angelic figures reflect the Baroque taste for combining architectural function, religious symbolism, and ornamental exuberance. They are damaged.