PAIR OF RELIEFS; GROTESQUE OR CANDELIERI. POLICHROMED AND GILDED WOOD. 16TH CENTURY.

Pair of reliefs; grotesques or candelieri. Carved, polychrome and gilded wood. Century XVI. Pair of reliefs made of hand-carved, gilded and polychrome wood, each showing a winged angel head (or putti), located on a vertical element that serves as the axis of symmetry for the composition of the relief. The rest of the motifs that complete the works are scrolled leaves, floral or vegetal details, lacework, moldings, all of clear classicist influence. The background does not present any decorative element, neither carved nor painted, thus leaving the aforementioned elements to take center stage. These types of compositions were very common in the Renaissance throughout Europe, as the “fashion” of grotesques spread from Italy. Compare, for example, with the frieze reflected in an image of Diego de Sagredo's work entitled “Medidas del Romano” (1526, Toledo); details of the Chapel of Santa Librada of the Sigüenza Cathedral by Francisco de Baeza (around 1520); others from the façade of the Senior Schools of the University of Salamanca; Main Altarpiece of the Collegiate Church of Torrijos (Toledo), commissioned in 1558 from Juan Correa de Vivar; etc It is necessary to indicate that these decorative motifs will have a long tradition in Spanish Art. It is very possible that the present relief plaque was created to be part of an altar in a church although it is not decorated with a religious theme (note that the theme of the “winged heads”, often called “putti”, also comes from of Italy and is found in both civil and religious works).

· Size: 14x5x22 cms.