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Important Virgin and Child in Majesty
$89,764.08
£65,985.13
€75,000
CA$122,814.23
A$137,172.26
CHF 71,278.87
MX$1,670,482.13
NOK 905,400.98
SEK 853,148.68
DKK 570,782.85
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About the Item
Important virgin and child in majesty
Origin : Germany Or Eastern France
Époque : Second Half Of The 13th Century
Height: 104.5 cm
Length: 36.5 cm
Depth: 33 cm
Oak wood
Good traces of polychromy
Hollowed back
This Virgin and Child in Majesty sits on a throne bench, the bust straight. Mary supports with her left hand the Child Jesus. She wears a bronze-coloured dress with a thin green belt and a cloak on her narrow shoulders. The drapery is supple and natural, following the figure of the body.
She wears a short veil on her blond hair and her face’s features are delicate and regular. The nose is long and straight, the eyes are almond-shaped and a cleft-chin appears under the small lips.
The Child Jesus is held on her left fore-arm. He wears a long tunic with round collar. In the folds of the fabric we can see his small feet. He holds in his hands a round object, probably an orb.
The face of Christ shows obvious resemblance with his mother’s. He slightly smiles.
The 13th century is a period of artistic transition. Statuary retains formulas that have appeared in the previous eras while mixing up with new conceptual and plastic characteristics.
Here it can be seen in the hieratic and frontal position of Mary and in the off-centered position of Jesus, seated on her left knee. Although the Virgin seems perfectly still, her son is instead depicted in a more animated way thanks to his hand gestures. The left hand holds the orb while from his right hand he was operating a gesture of benediction towards the devotees as we can guess from the raised arm. Both faces are enlivened with a discreet smile.
The impassivity of the Virgin is not without echoing 12th century Virgin and Child sculpted groups in which she acts as a throne for her divine child. She presents him on her knees in a display of majesty.
The influence of those Sedes Sapientiae from previous centuries appear to be particularly strong in this work.
The characteristics identified on his Virgin and Child originating from Germany or Eastern France -
the supple drapery, the almond-shaped eyes and the straight nose - indicate it was sculpted during the second half of the 13th century.
- Dimensions:Height: 41.15 in (104.5 cm)Width: 14.38 in (36.5 cm)Depth: 13 in (33 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Second Half of the 13th Century
- Condition:Refinished. Minor structural damages.
- Seller Location:Saint-Ouen, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3115329586852

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Virgin and Child in Majesty, also known as "Sedes Sapientae"
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
VIRGIN AND CHILD IN MAJESTY, ALSO KNOWN AS "SEDES SAPIENTIAE"
ORIGIN : SPAIN, CATALOGNE
PERIOD: EARLY 13th CENTURY
Height : 95 cm
Width : 32 cm
Depth : 28 cm
Softwood
No polychromy
In the middle of the 12th century, the Virgin took her place in churches, seated in Majesty, serving as a throne for her son Jesus. She is then called Sedes Sapientiae, meaning the Throne of Wisdom.
At that time, she is not represented for herself and only exists because she has been designated as Theotokos, the mother of God, at the Council of Ephesus in 431, where the divine nature of Christ was proclaimed from his birth.
The upright and perfectly hieratic bust of this Virgin and Child in Majesty is seated on a throne-bench. She is dressed in a tunic with a rounded neckline and covered with a fine mantle placed on her narrow shoulders. The supple and natural drapery follows the lines of the body.
Large curls frame her face with delicate and regular features, a long straight nose, almond-shaped eyes, and small lips.
She supports the Infant Jesus with her left hand. Like his mother, he is dressed in a long tunic, and his little feet are visible in the folds. He holds a small sphere in his left hand, while with his right hand, he gestures in blessing. The face of Christ bears a strong resemblance to his mother’s one, and he gives a slight smile.
The position of the Child is no longer as hieratic, nor frontal or central as in the early 12th century, but his face still turns towards the faithful.
The 13th century indeed emerges as a period of transition in the artistic domain. The statuary, while retaining certain characteristics still belonging to the habits of the previous century, also develops new formal solutions.
As a result, Mary maintains a hieratic and frontal position, while her son shifts to place himself well to the left on her knee. Similarly, while the Virgin seems perfectly still, Jesus, on the other hand, appears much more animated, especially in the positioning of his hands. His left hand holds the orb, and judging by the raised right arm directed towards the faithful, one can easily imagine that he was making a gesture of blessing.
The influence of the Sedes Sapientiae from previous centuries still seems particularly prevalent in this work.
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