RELIEVE. POLICHROMED AND GILDED WOOD. 16TH CENTURY.
Antiques -
Reference: ZE237
Relief. Carved, polychrome and gilded wood. 16th century. A slightly rectangular wooden plaque decorated with a relief on its front, made by lowering the shape so that it forms a “frame” on the board that serves as the base of the work. It is possible to see, with a gilded finish, a symmetrical composition with a polychrome angel’s head topping an axis with plant elements and a moulding, from which two fantastic birds similar to eagles emerge, placed back to back and joined to this “line” by their tails. The background does not have any decorative elements, neither carved nor painted, thus leaving the spotlight to the aforementioned elements. This type of composition was very common in the Renaissance throughout Europe, when the “fashion” of grotesques spread from Italy. In the Spanish case, it is possible to compare it with elements present in many other works of the 16th century, such as the Main Altarpiece of the Parish Church of Santa María (Villa de Tauste, Zaragoza) made of Scots pine wood and surely finished in polychromy in 1529; the frieze with angel heads in the work by Diego de Sagredo entitled “Medidas del Romano” (1526, Toledo); works by Diego de Siloé; Main Altarpiece of the Collegiate Church of Torrijos (Toledo), commissioned in 1558 to Juan Corrrea de Vivar and which presents some fantastic winged animals similar to those of the present relief in some details; etc. It should be noted that these decorative motifs will have a long tradition in Spanish Art. It is quite possible that the present relief plaque was created to form part of an altar in a church although it is not decorated with a religious theme (note that the theme of “winged heads”, often called “putti”, also comes from Italy and is found in both civil and religious works).
· Size: 22x5x27 cms.
1.200 €
