Mother of God with the Child
Mother of God with the Child
This splendid carving of the Virgin and Child, from Puentedura (Burgos), can be considered one of the best works in the museum's collection of Romanesque virgins. It represents Mary as Sedes Sapientiae, that is to say, as the throne of wisdom that is embodied in the divine child.
Both figures appear in a strictly frontal and majestic position, and the mother and son maintain a distant attitude towards each other.
It highlights the meticulous treatment of the folds of the tunics and mantles, as well as the serene beauty of the Virgin's face. The rigor of the composition and the tendency to naturalism find their right balance.
The extraordinary quality of the work and its style have caused it to be related to the pieces made in the workshops of Ille-de-France during the second half of the twelfth century. In these productions, a new sensibility and a naturalistic tendency emerges that distance them from the most stereotyped and popular images, the result of the production of local workshops.