London, Dec. 4 (EFE). – The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is offering half a dozen sculptures and paintings in the Italianate style from the 13th and 16th centuries – among them, a beautiful Portrait of Jesus and the Virgin by Barnabas of Modena – that will be part of the most sought-after pieces at auction on December 8th at Christie’s in London Dedicated to the “old masters”.
The life and history of the Virgin Mary sparked interest in artwork from the Middle Ages, and although there is no biblical source, the artists evoked moments from their childhood, such as the wood carving “The Education of the Virgin” where Mary is seen learning to read, or they reproduced scenes from her ascension to Heaven, As in “The Coronation of the Virgin.”
“In the 12th and 13th centuries, there was this movement where people wanted to feel like they knew more about the Virgin, and then these different scenes were created that became symbolic in the life of the Virgin,” Donald Johnston, the specialist, told EFE. Sculpture International at Christie’s.
The sculptural group for his coronation, estimated at 120,000–180,000 pounds (€140,000–210,000) by an unknown artist, originally from the region of Austria or the Balkans, in the 1620s and 1630s.
On each side of the Virgin, figures of Christ and God the Father stand tall, crowning her with the “Queen of Heaven,” but the crown has long since disappeared and only empty hands are shown atop Mary’s crown. .
In addition, according to Johnston, the group, which is 143 cm high, also contained a dove, representing the Holy Spirit and thus completing the Trinity.
“By the elongation of all the figures we can infer that they were meant to be seen from a higher position than we have been able to place here. The sculptor has cleverly taken the viewer’s point of view and elongated the figures so that when viewed from below they appear more natural.”
A classic week at Christie’s
Also of note are the Portrait of Jesus and the Virgin Mary with Gold Background by Barnabas of Modena, from the 14th century, valued at £400,000-600,000 (€466,000-700,000) and two panels by Maestro della Capella Dutto – one of the most famous artists in Veneto. in the thirteenth century – which would have belonged to a large altarpiece, each worth £250,000–350,000 (€291,000–408,000).
According to auctioneer Clementine Sinclair, gold wallpaper was an element that was used frequently between the 13th and 14th centuries, but was abandoned from the 15th century, when the Renaissance arose.
“Despite the glamor and ethereality,” says Sinclair, “artists of the 15th century moved toward a greater sense of naturalism and realism in their paintings.” “In the Renaissance, artists try to create perspective and a sense of returning to space, being able to almost approach a painting, while the gold background stands out and has the opposite effect,” he explains.
Filled with on-site and online auctions until December 15, the ‘Old Masters’ auction will open Christie’s Classic Week on December 8, with a portrait of Queen Henrietta by Anthony van Dyck as the star dish, which awaits £4 million. (4.6 million euros).
“The painting has hung in Warwick Castle Hall for over 200 years and, interestingly, has been enlarged over that time to a large format,” says Sinclair.
“This was so it could be hung alongside other full-length portraits already owned by the family. It was not until 2016 that the portrait was reduced to its original format, removing any retouching that had been applied, and the true brilliance and brushwork of an original Van Dyck came to light,” decided the auctioneer’s manager. .
The highest bidder will also be awarded the Reading Ceremony by Jean-François de Troyes, from the 18th century, which is expected to fetch £3m (€3.5m), or a recently discovered painting by Erasmus in Rotterdam. Holbein the Younger – £1.5 million (€1.75 million). EFE
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