TWO RELIEFS, EVANGELIST SAINTS JOHN AND MATTHEW. POLYCHROMED AND GILT WOOD. POSSIBLY BURGALESE SCHOOL, SPAIN, 16TH CENTURY.

Pair of reliefs, Saint John and Saint Matthew. Polychrome wood. Possibly from the Burgos school, 16th century. A pair of reliefs carved and polychromed from wood, each depicting a seated human figure writing, surrounded by books and accompanied by another figure. One, with black hair and a beard, is accompanied by a winged child figure offering him an inkwell; the second, younger (beardless) and with blond hair, is shown engrossed in a parchment, while an eagle, perched on one talon, offers him an inkwell. As is typical of this subject matter, each Evangelist is usually accompanied by their corresponding figure from the four that make up the Tetramorph. Thus, Saint John is shown with the eagle and Saint Matthew with the winged man. Both are depicted surrounded by books, in interiors decorated with gilded furniture and seated on high-backed chairs or thrones. Note the vegetal scrolls on the books, furniture, and walls, accompanied by candelabra motifs and fish or dolphin heads, in compositions reminiscent of those found in Renaissance works. This classical influence can also be seen in the figures (faces, drapery, anatomy, posture, etc.) and in their surroundings (for example, the moldings and volutes on the seats and desks, or the aforementioned decoration of the book bindings that appear in both works). The iconography appearing in this pair is common in Spanish art of the period, often located in the lower part of altarpieces (Main Altarpiece of Foncea, Burgos school). Compare, for example, with the Saint John the Evangelist of the Main Altarpiece of the Assumption of Ullíbarri Viña (attributed to Juan de Ayala II, painted before 1579 by Juan de Oñate) in the Basque Country, where three books also appear in a low space in the background; or, to see a different composition, with the group of four Evangelists attributed to Felipe Bigarny (dated between 1501 and 1525) of the Castilian school in the National Sculpture Museum (Valladolid); or with the relief of Saint Mark from the altarpiece of Saint Eulalia of Markinez or Marquinez of the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Vitoria-Gasteiz (its sculpture attributed to the workshop of Juan de Ayala II and the polychromy to Santos Corres, the sculpture dated to the second half of the 16th century and the polychromy to 1747). In addition to Felipe Vigarny, in the Burgos area it is necessary to take into account Bartolomé Ordóñez and Diego de Siloé (two of the most important names of the first third of the 16th century), along with masters such as Juan de Balmaseda, Andrés de Nájera, Juan de Juni (who also worked in the city), etc.

· Size: 72x4x99 cms.