Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8

Virgin and Child in Majesty with a Bird

$53,652.83
£39,748.70
€45,000
CA$73,501.70
A$81,556.33
CHF 42,720.96
MX$1,000,099.57
NOK 543,395.91
SEK 512,942.56
DKK 342,305.08
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

Virgin and child in majesty with a bird Origin: Southern Germany Or Austria Period: Late 13tth - Early 14th Century Height : 87.5 cm Length : 32 cm Depth : 19 cm Lime wood Mary is depicted on a throne bench of which we can only see the sides. She wears a tunic and a cloak covering her laps in the manner of an apron. The draperies are supple and follow the shape of the body. Her face presents fine features with a high forehead, straight and thin nose and is framed by strands of curly hair. She has delicate hands with elongated fingers. In her right hand she used to hold a flower of which only remains the stem. She holds the child Jesus on her left fore-arm. He wears a long tunic. His feet can be seen in the folds of the fabric. He holds a bird in his hands. This group of the Virgin and Child still retains a straight and hieratic posture, the gaze unwavering. However, the child is slightly moving to the left side and shows a slight smile full of humanity. Those few characteristics, the fluid fabric, the large eyes and straight nose support a datation to the the late 13th century or the early years of the following century. The presence of a bird as a symbolic element also stands in favour of such a datation. Indeed, it becomes a recurring attribute around the 13th century and can be interpreted in various manners. The dove can represent the Holy Spirit. In 325, during the first Council of Nicea the Holy Spirit is recognised as the third hypostasis (entity) of the Trinity. In artistic depictions, the Holy Spirit is then symbolised as a dove. It reminds us of the divine conception of Jesus and his true nature. However the dove appears very early in Paleochristian art where it stands for the freed soul saved by death. Sometimes identified as a goldfinch, the bird is in that case a symbol of Jesus’ upcoming sacrifice. It is then difficult to determine with certainty if the iconography of the bird is adopted by the sculptors as a way of evoking the true nature of Jesus or the divine sacrifice that will take place with the crucifixion.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 34.45 in (87.5 cm)Width: 12.6 in (32 cm)Depth: 7.49 in (19 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Late 13th-Early 14th Century
  • Condition:
    Minor structural damages.
  • Seller Location:
    Saint-Ouen, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU3115329586752

More From This Seller

View All
Important Virgin and Child in Majesty
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Important virgin and child in majesty Origin : Germany Or Eastern France Époque : Second Half Of The 13th Century Height: 104.5 cm Length: 3...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Oak

Virgin and Child in Majesty
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Virgin and child in majesty Origine: castille Epoque: early 14th century Measures: Height: 72cm Length: 30cm Depth: 25cm Polychrome and gi...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Virgin and Child "Sedes Sapientiae", Seat of Holy Wisdom
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Virgin and child sedes sapientiae, seat of holy wisdom Origin : Northern Spain, castile, navarre or galicia. Period : early 13th century. Heigh...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

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.   These few characteristics allow dating this Spanish Virgin...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Spanish Gothic Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Softwood

Exceptional Virgin and Child in Majesty or "Sedes Sapientiae", Throne of Wisdom
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Exceptional virgin and child in majesty or “Sedes Sapientiae”, throne of wisdom Origin: southwestern France. Period: late 12th - early 13th cen...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Gothic Virgin and Child with a Phylactery
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This Virgin and Child is wearing clothes with a limited number of folds and showing a thickness characteristic of the Burgundy region. As a result of the presence in the region of th...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier French Gothic Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

You May Also Like

Virgin and the Child, Mosan Region, Second Half of 13th Century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
A polychrome sculpture depicting the Virgin and the Child Mosan region, second half of 13th century Polychrome wood 73 x 29 X 12 cm Provenance : Former Belgian private collection from the beginning of the 20th century This remarkable early artwork portrays the Enthroned Virgin and Child, also known as Sedes Sapientiae, which translates to the 'Seat of Wisdom...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Belgian Medieval Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Antique Statue of Virgin Mary and Child , 19th Century
Located in Basildon, GB
A Pine Carving of Virgin and Child signed E. Lechner. Carved in 15th Century style, a high relief with a hollowed back and depicting the crowned Virgin standing on contrapose with lo...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Gothic Religious Items

Materials

Wood, Pine

French Antique Statuette Virgin and Child Early 20 th Century
Located in Labrit, Landes
French handmade stone statue in stone Madonna and Child. As you can see from the photos, the Mother and the Child exchange an expressive look full of tenderness. The directing style ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Animal Sculptures

Materials

Stone

18th Century French Carved Statue of Madonna and Child
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
18th century French carved statue of Madonna and Child. This charming piece has been rescued from a ecclesiastic clear out in the southern part of France The statue is carved fro...
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Mission Figurative Sculptures

Wooden Madonna with Child Baroque Art Italy 17th Century with Export Certificate
Located in Madrid, ES
A Wooden Madonna with child Baroque art, Southern Italy, 17th century. Measure: H: 71cm Good condition for the time. With Export Certificate to USA.
Category

Antique Early 17th Century Italian Baroque Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

16th Century Wooden Madonna with Child, circa 1500
Located in Esbeek, NL
Beautiful Madonna with child, original polygrome, circa 1500 Flemish, South of Netherland.
Category

Antique 16th Century Belgian Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood