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TWO RELIEFS, EVANGELIST SAINTS JOHN AND MATTHEW. POLYCHROMED AND GILT ...

Pair of reliefs, San Juan and San Mateo. Polychrome wood. Possibly, Burgos school, 16th century.
Pair of carved and polychrome wood reliefs that each show a sitting human figure writing, surrounded by books and accompanied by a figure respectively. One, with black hair and a beard, appears accompanied by another winged child figure who brings him an inkwell; the second, younger (beardless) and with blond hair, is shown concentrating on a scroll, while an eagle brings him an inkwell with one leg, leaning on one of them.
As corresponds to this type of theme, each of the Evangelists usually appears accompanied by the corresponding figure of the four that make up the Tetramorph. Thus, Saint John is shown with the eagle and Saint Matthew with the "winged man." Both are shown surrounded by books, in each interior decorated with gilded furniture and seated on high-backed chairs or thrones. Note the vegetable scrolls of the books, furniture and walls, accompanied by elements of candelieri and fish or dolphin heads, in compositions reminiscent of those found in Renaissance works. This classicist influence can also be seen in the figures (faces, folds, anatomy, posture, etc.) and in the environment they occupy (for example, the moldings and scrolls of the seats and desks, or the aforementioned decoration of the bindings of the books that appear in both works).
The iconography that appears in this couple is frequent in Spanish art of the time, often located in the lower part of the altarpieces (Retablo Mayor de Foncea, Burgos school). Compare, for example, with the Saint John the Evangelist in the Altarpiece of the Assumption in Ullíbarri Viña (execution attributed to Juan de Ayala II, painted before 1579 by Juan de Oñate) in the Basque Country, where three books also appear in a mezzanine From the bottom; or, to see a different composition, with the group of four Evangelists attributed to Felipe Bigarny (dated between 1501 and 1525) from the Castilian school of the National Museum of Sculpture (Valladolid); or with the relief of San Marcos from the altarpiece of Santa Eulalia de Markinez or Marquinez of the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Vitoria-Gasteiz (attributed its sculpture to the workshop of Juan de Ayala II and the polychrome to Santos Corres, dated in the second half of the 16th century sculpture and polychrome in 1747).
In addition to Felipe Vigarny, in Burgos surroundings 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 teachers such as Juan de Balmaseda, Andrés de Nájera, Juan de Juni (he also worked in the city), etc."

· Size: 72x4x99 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0662A
PSYCHE REVIVED BY CUPID’S KISS. GREEN AND ALABASTER. AFTER ANTONIO CAN...

"Psyche reanimated by the kiss of love", "The love of Psyche" or "The kiss". White marble and green marble. Following the model of the work of CANOVA, Antonio (Italy, 1757-1822).
A carved green marble pedestal serves as the base and enhancement of a well-known marble sculpture. This base has a decoration of classicist influence from the polygonal base (vegetal elements, bulls, scotches, garlands, smooth moldings, etc.), thus joining with the figurative sculpture. It has a rocky base, with plants, on which is a young half-naked woman, who raises her arms towards an elegant winged male figure, who is embracing her from above.
In Apuleius's Metamorphoses (or The Golden Ass), it is said that, by an oracle, Cupid was sent to destroy Psyche, but he fell in love with her and took her to his castle. The young Psyche, pushed by her sisters, tried to discover the identity of her mysterious husband, burning him with a candle; furious, the god throws her out and she, repentant, goes to Venus to atone for her guilt. The goddess of beauty then entrusts her with a series of tasks that she completes, the last being going to the Underworld for what she says is a Proserpine beauty salve. The girl opened the bottle despite her mother's warnings, and fell into a deep sleep from which she could only wake up thanks to Cupid's kiss.
Antonio Canova created two slightly different versions of this theme (that kiss that revives the beloved). The original of the first, preserved in the Louvre Museum in Paris, in 1787, was finally finished in 1793 by order of John Campbell (Lord Cawdor), but it would be kept by Henry Hoppe in 1800, later passing into the hands of Joaquín Murat. The second version (followed by the present sculpture) was commissioned by Prince Nicholas Yusupov or Yussupoff, and its plaster model dated 1794 is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York while the marble sculpture is kept in the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg . This plaster model mentioned was inherited by Canova's assistant, Adamo Tadolini, who used it to make new examples of this group (such as the replica of Villa Carlotta -Tremezzo, Italy- made between 1818 and 1820. However, and given the great popularity and appreciation of both this work and the master, a large number of sculptures are known that are inspired by one version or another, such as those by Pietro Bazzanti (Italy, 1825-1895), one of which follows the work by Yusupov and is in a private collection; it should not be forgotten that this well-known marble sculpture appears in paintings from the 19th century, in boxes (such as the gold, enamel and glass of the Hermitage from 1700), clocks, cameos, etc. , and that a large number of masters created their own versions of these two compositions by Antonio Canova (Gaspare Landi, Auguste Rodin, Calum Colvin ...).
If the present work were bought with that of Antonio Canova, a series of small differences can be appreciated (base, plants, position of the wings, etc.) that speak in favor of this example as it is not a literal copy. In fact, it presents more elements in common with the work of masters such as Pietro Bazzanti, especially if we consider the green marble base decorated with embossed garlands."

· Size: 95x45x182 cms. Escultura 80x40x70 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0606
POLYCHROMED AND GILT RELIEF FRAGMENT. “EVANGELIST”. ALONSO BERRUGUETE’...

Altarpiece sculpture in gilded and polychrome wood. "Evangelist". Environment of Alonso Berruguete (ca.1490-1561).
The young male figure is represented barefoot and dressed in a golden cape that also covers his legs and contrasts with the brown clothes. She looks to the side and her hair is shown blowing in the wind, while holding an object with both hands. It was part of an altarpiece, hence the back part has not been worked, alone or in a composition with more figures.
Without a context and with a single iconographic attribute, identifying the carving is more complicated. He is a sacred figure: he would not be a Father of the Church because of his youth; most likely it is an Apostle, in which case it may be Saint Thomas, Saint Simon or Saint Jude Thaddeus, if the object he carries is a small architect saw (instead of a square, for the former) or an ax small for seconds. Stylistically, it still maintains a great use of gilding, the most characteristic details of the Gothic sculptural tradition. However, the expressiveness of his face, the magnificent anatomy that can be seen despite the clothes and the naturalness of the posture relate the work to a great Renaissance influence. The movement of the work is what delimits the style to Mannerism.
Alonso González Berruguete was a Castilian sculptor and painter, son of Pedro Berruguete, who expanded his training in Italy since 1507, especially in Florence, where his contacts with Bramante, Miguel Ángel, Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del Sarto are known. He brought to Spain all this direct influence of the Renaissance, Mannerism and the ancient models that he knew first hand. He worked in Zaragoza and Huesca, and later established his residence and opened his own workshop in Valladolid. He became one of the main Spanish sculptors of the 16th century, and spread Italian Mannerism. In this work you can see all of this: note the anatomy, proportions, movement and expressiveness. Compare the sculpture, for example, with the main altarpiece of the Mejorada de Olmedo Monastery (1523-1526), or with that of San Benito el Real de Valladolid (1526-1532), both in the National Sculpture Museum of Valladolid."

· Size: 25x20x70 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z5824
CHRIST. PARTIALLY GILT COPPER. LIMOGES, FRANCE, CA BEGINNING OF THE 13...

Crucified Christ. Copper with traces of gilding. Limoges, France, around the beginning of the 13th century.
Christ crowned with open arms and perizonium or long cloth of purity tied to one side. The holes in the hands and feet and the fact that it is hollow at the back show that it was part of a work. It is a crucified with three nails, a common type in the Middle Ages and, above all, from the Gothic period.
Stylistically, it is clear that this work belongs to the Limoges enamels of the thirteenth century, and it would be part of a plate or would have been attached to a cross or a casket, all elements decorated with the usual technique, champlevé enamel, in the usual tones. (blue, yellow, green ...). The figure would have been completely gilded, and the inclination of the head, the lines that mark the anatomy of Jesus, the face and the shape of the arms and feet, among other details such as the iconographic type of Christ already deceased, relate it to the end of the Romanesque and the beginning of the influence of the Gothic.
Compare this example with the Crucified on the Chicago Art Institute plaque (inventory 1943.79) from about 1200-1210, one in the Metropolitan Museum in New York (25.120.441) with the purity cloth enameled in the characteristic blue tone of the center. producer, two in the British Museum in London (numbers 1925,0609.1 and 1882,1101.7) or that of the Cross of the Louvre Museum (OA 9956), which is very similar to the present and to that of the Cross of Ukna of the Nationalmuseum of Stockholm, this as the only preserved example of these small sculptures that still preserves the processional cross to which some would be subject according to the studies carried out. These similarities have turned out to be common thanks to the comparison between the examples that have come down to us, and which were one of the main details that contributed to making Limoges the main center for creating enamels of its time because using similar prototypes made the pieces somewhat more accessible to the market. Limoges, after inheriting the techniques of the Silos Monastery (Spain), made a great number of different works with these forms, so valued that they were exported throughout Europe in such quantities that today we have received a few examples of great importance in form of caskets, pixels, crosses, covers of bindings, etc."

· Size: 20x17x2,5 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z6619
TWO IVORY SCULPTURES. 17TH CENTURY.

Pair of ivory sculptures. XVII century.
Both figures stand on darker bases. The female is dressed in a long, short-sleeved tunic, showing the sleeves of a shirt with delicate pleats, and a cloak on the shoulders that falls to the feet and covers the figure from the front. The male, elderly and bearded, also presents a cloth covering her waist to the feet, and the sleeves rolled up.

Their identity is somewhat difficult to ascertain due to the lack of iconographic attributes, but their features and position suggest that perhaps they are two of the three figures that would have formed a Holy Family, missing the Child Jesus in this case and in the case of Mary and Saint Joseph. Or it is also probable that it is San Joaquín and Santa Ana, missing in this case the figure of the Virgin Mary as a child.
The high quality of the sculptures can be seen both in the material used and in the carving, with great delicacy in the folds and with a certain pictorialism in the hair. Stylistically, their membership in the Baroque is clear despite the classicist influence they present, common in certain currents of this style throughout Europe. Between around 1600 and the middle of the 18th century, trade routes to the African coasts were recovered that allowed access to ivory from numerous European centers, coinciding with the development of the Baroque, especially in the area of the Netherlands and Central Europe, with a prominent center around the papal court of Rome and without forgetting the Hindo-Portuguese school. The theme varies, although small religious works abound, highly appreciated by the upper class and important religious centers. As the seventeenth century progressed, the Italian classicist influence spread through Germany, Austria and the rest of the centers of central Europe, in some cases agreeing with a more traditional trend.
It has an ivory expert document"

· Size: 9x9x22 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z6789
”WINTER ALLERGORY”. BRONCE. STELLA, ÉTIENNE ALEXANDRE (FRANCE, ¿-1892)...

"Allegory of Winter". Bronze. Étienne Alexandre (France, ¿-1892). France, 19th century.
A circular base with clear lines slightly elevates the figures. The lady is standing, with her hair gathered in a bun from which strands come out, moved by the wind. This air also shakes the cloths of the cape with which the young woman covers herself, alluding to a cold wind with her gesture. The child who appears at her feet is also shown covering himself with a cloth, and his hair also shows movement.
This posture and the fact of bundling up clearly show that we are facing an allegory of winter, carried out in the manner of 19th century Neoclassicism. Thus, although there is a clear movement in the cloths, it is attenuated so as not to create excessive diagonals in the figure, and the gestures and postures show the decorum and finesse common in French works of this style.
Étienne Alexandre Stella was a French sculptor about whom there is not much confirmed information. He is known to be active between 1850 and 1892, the year in which he died. Of all his production (mainly bronze figures of small size and Neoclassical influence, in addition to a group of comic theater characters and a figure of "Merchant with a slave"), his allegories of the four seasons, composed of a female figure accompanied some by a child, showing different postures and with different objects related to the time that each one represents.
This type of small bronze figures were very common in France in the 19th century, displaying a wide variety of themes, and being created by a large number of leading artists (some specialized in this format, others not). . They were highly appreciated for their lines and the quality that can be seen both in their design and in their production, hence they were exported in large numbers and the same models were later "repeated" (with or without variations)."

· Size: 29x29x98 cms
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0025
CHILD JESUS SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD, HISPANO-PHILIPPINE. IVORY. 17TH CENT...

Infant Jesus of the Ball. Ivory. Hispano-Filipino School, 17th century.
Baby Jesus made of polychrome carved ivory in some specific areas and placed on a carved and gilded wooden base. It presents very pronounced curves and movement, and a very studied decoration based on plant elements.
Iconographically, this figure of the Child Jesus standing, holding in one hand the Orb of Creation and blessing with the other, is known as the "Child of the Ball", and has a strong relationship with that of the Salvator Mundi, known among others by paintings like that of Leonardo da Vinci but very common already at the end of the European Middle Ages (the adult Salvator Mundi would appear in northern Europe in the second half of the 14th century). This piece responds to the popularization of a large number of iconographies of the Child Jesus that occurs in the Baroque. Nudity is common in this type of sculpture, as it is work designed to be dressed and adorned with velvets, silks, embroidery, silver, etc.
Aesthetically, it is related to examples of the Baroque Spanish school of the 17th century. Note the hairstyle with a slight memory of the works of Martínez Montañés, to name a name. Compare, for example, with the Children conserved in the "Sala Marfiles" of the Museum of Mexican History of Monterrey (Nuevo León, Mexico), or with the Philippine Child Jesus of the 17th century in ivory of the Museum of America in Madrid, or non the Hispano-Filipino from the 18th century from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection kept at the Middlebury College Museum of Art (Vermont, United States).
The religious carvings made in ivory were doubly appreciated for the prestige and richness of the material and for their theme in a time like the Baroque, focused on the defense of Catholicism in some areas and eager to show power and influence like all. In the present case, it is also necessary to take into account the “exotic” factor, as it is a Hispanic-Filipino piece: together with the peninsular influence, it is possible to see the “touch” of the Filipino artists (Chinese settled in the islands, premises, etc.) in these jobs with slightly slanted eyes, bulging eyelids, etc. Although they were sometimes made and commissioned for the private chapels of the upper classes of the time, it is common for these types of sculptures to have been preserved in religious centers of great importance, where they have been found as donations.
It has an ivory expert document."

· Size: 11x11x29 cms. Altura niño 20 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0601
CANDELABRA PAIR. BRONZE. FRANCE, 19TH CENTURY.

Pair of candlesticks. Gilt and blued bronze. France, 19th century.
Pair of candelabra of ten lights each one made in gilt and blued bronze that have a base with a circular base (decorated with reliefs of vegetal themes and vegetal elements with mirrors and shapes reminiscent of rockeries), a half-naked infant figure standing and holding aloft a torch, from which the branches emerge that end in the lights of the candelabra.
The combination of gilt bronze with blued elements (in this case, child figures and the torches they hold) are common in prominent examples of 19th-century French decorative arts. As for the figures, the presence of children (putti, young fauns, etc.) is also frequent, being able to compare the present couple with outstanding works such as those made by the Moreau's (“Enfant Torchère” by August Moreau [1834-1917] )."

· Size: 50x40x85 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0489
LE RÊVE OR THE DREAM. BRONZE. HIPPOLYTE FRANÇOIS MOREAU (1832-1927). F...

"Le Rêve" (The dream). Bronze. Moreau, Hippolyte François (1832-1927). France, towards the end of the 19th century.
With signature (HIP. Moreau) and foundry stamp (Societe des bronzes de Paris).
Bronze sculpture on a circular base that shows a half-naked young woman sitting on a rock, accompanied by plants. The lady looks forward, with a dreamy expression, and holds plants on her knees. Although the aesthetics, theme, posture and lines of the figure still show a strong influence of Neoclassicism, there are certain details (finishes, etc.) that already allude to a series of changes that began to occur in Art from the second half of the XIX century.
The model for this work was conceived in marble in 1887. This bronze has a signature in the lower part of the figure, the stamp of the foundry that made it (Société des Bronzes de Paris) and a plaque on the base with the title (Le Rêve; El Sueño) and the legend “Salon des Beaux-Arts”. Hippolyte François Moreau (Dijon, 1832-Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1926) was a French sculptor, son of Jean-Baptiste-Louis-Joseph Moreau (with whom he was trained) and therefore a member of this outstanding family. He also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and showed his work at the Salon of this city between 1863 and 1914. His work was recognized with various Medals (Universal Exhibition of 1878, Universal Exhibition of 1900) and other awards. Although most of his work is kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in Dijon, there are private collections around the world that have his bronzes, in addition to other important institutions. The Société des Bronzes de Paris was active in this city from 1875 to 1930, and had a total of three foundry workshops.
Lot No. 193 Christie \\ 's Auction March 26, 2018.
Weight 30 kg."

· Size: 30x35x80 cms
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0604
Sold

BRONZE SCULPTURE. “MAENADS”. 19TH CENTURY.

Sculpture. "Maenads with satyr". Bronze. XIX century.
A small base worked so that it resembles earth serves as support for the figures. On the right, two panthers appear, turning to the two ladies who support their feet as they advance just to the sides of a Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty. They appear dressed in robes, which fit the body enough to reveal some of the classicist anatomy of the ladies without being entirely revealing; one of them creates a vertical line that brings movement to the composition of the sculpture, maintaining its harmony. The symmetry is completed by the figure of a child faun, holding a glass and a bunch of grapes and also moving forward, like the rest of the figures in the sculpture.
The god Bacchus (Dionysus in Greek mythology) was associated with the grape harvest and wine, ecstasy, etc., and was an important divinity of the pantheon. It is associated with the bull, the snake, the ivy and, to a greater extent, the wine (and the grapes, branches ...) and a particular procession and the so-called Bacchanalia. Likewise, it used to be accompanied by fauns, nymphs, centaurs, etc., and was served by maenad nymphs and followed by the so-called "bacchantes."
Clearly, the influence of prominent 19th century French works is strong. Compare, for example, the "Allegory of Friendship" by A. Carrier, or the "Bacchante" by Claude Michel Clodion (1738-1814), or the "Ladies playing the tambourine with a young satyr" by the same French sculptor , or the "Bacchante" of Hyppolyte Moureau (1832,1927), to name just a few. These types of sculptures were highly appreciated and valued in the 19th century for responding to the aesthetic tastes of Neoclassicism, being very common that they were often fused following the models of prominent masters, even though their authors were already deceased."

· Size: 35x20x59 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z6850
”SAINT ROCH”. POLYCHROMED AND GILT WOOD SCULPTURE. JUAN DE ANCHIETA WO...

"San Roque". Sculpture in polychrome and stewed wood. Surroundings of Juan de Anchieta, 16th century.
A bearded male figure stands, holding a book and wearing a pilgrim hat on his back, in addition to presenting himself showing his right leg and resting his foot on a quadruped with something in his mouth. To his right, a naked child looks towards the saint while touching his leg with his left hand.
He is presented with the angel on his left, the plague wound or buba on his leg (normally, the one shown is the other), the pilgrim's hat and cape, and the dog with the loaf of bread placed under one of his feet. in a very unusual way. All these attributes help to identify the image with San Roque, an Occitan pilgrim canonized in 1584, highly venerated before this date, especially because he is considered a holy healer, especially in cases of pestilence.
A marked influence of the Italian Renaissance is clearly noticeable in the carving: from Michelangelo on the corporeity and anatomy of the two figures, the expressiveness of the saint, the composition, etc. These details, along with other peculiarities such as the hair and the proportions, allow us to relate the sculpture to the workshop of Juan de Anchieta (Azpeitia, around 1533- Pamplona, 1588), a sculptor of great importance in 16th century Spanish art with work in the North of Castilla, Aragon, the Basque Country, Navarra and Burgos, considered one of the main figures of Romanism. It is believed that it was formed in Italy, hence its stylistic connection with certain works by Jacobo della Quercia and, above all, the inspiration in the works of Michelangelo. The influence of the Valladolid focus is also clear in its style, where it has been documented between 1565 and 1570. Compare, for example, with the altarpiece in the church of San Pedro de Zumaia (Pamplona), already completed in 1577, the commissions that he made in the Cathedral of Burgos between 1576 and 1578 (Coronation of the Virgin and carving of Mary located on the lectern of the choir), or the main altarpiece of the Parish of Santa María de Tafalla made between 1581 and 1583. He installed his workshop in Pamplona, with numerous commissions and, so appreciated was its style that it would influence works carried out in Aragon throughout the first third of the 17th century."

· Size: 16x11x25 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: ZE062
PORCELAIN CENTREPIECE. VOLKSTEDT, RUDOLSTADT, GERMANY. CA END 19TH CEN...

Centerpiece. Volkstedt, Rudolstadt, Germany. Towards the end of the 19th century.
Glazed porcelain.
Centerpiece with a circular base raised on simple legs that shows a delicate composition on several levels. The children are organized thanks to a large stone and a log, one with a purple band stands above, holding flowers; below, there are four others, also half-naked, holding glasses, flowers, etc.
Both the figures and the composition show a clear influence of Neoclassical models. This same relationship explains the theme: it is a series of figures linked to classical mythology, dealing with a friendly and secondary theme (only intuiting a slight relationship with a bacchanal for a glass that is presented), highly appreciated by rich interiors of the time to keep the decorum requested for the moment.
The factory signature is clearly visible at the bottom of the center and in shades of blue, with a signature (Marion) "etched" underneath. The Volkstedt factory, located in Rudolstadt (Thuringia, Germany), was founded by an official request made in 1760 by Georg Heinrich Macheleid, who had worked in the Glücksthal glass factory, and would have achieved the porcelain formula by his own means , without contacts with the Meissen potters Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus and Johann Friedrick Böttger. The privilege was granted in 1762 by Johann Friederich (prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt), specifying that it be established at that point, near his court and under his personal direction. After several changes of hands over the years, it is still in force today."

· Size: 33,5x33,5x58 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0144
SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHILD ON 17TH CENTURY BASE. IVORY, WOOD. (WITH ...

San Juanito on pedestal from the 17th century. Ivory, wood.
It has a CITES certificate.
Dress size of a male child figure made of ivory in its color, following 17th century models that has been arranged on an elaborate carved, gilded and polychrome wood base from the 17th century. This piece presents an elaborate and moving decoration based on moldings, scrolls, architectural elements, diamonds, etc. of clear classicist memory under the cushion on which the sculpture rests.
The sculpture is standing, taking a step and twisting one of its feet, with a very slight counterpoint. While your left arm is down, with your hand open as if holding something, raise your right in a gesture of blessing, keeping your gaze straight ahead but with a slight bow of the head. Before continuing, it is necessary to remember the iconographic resemblance between the sculptures of the Jesus Children and the Saint John's in Spanish Baroque art that occurs on some occasions, especially in certain clothing works and when iconographic attributes are not available. Compare, also noting the differences, this work with masterpieces such as the Niño Jesús by Juan Martínez Montañés from the Iglesia Sacramental del Sagrario de Sevilla (dated between 1606 and 1607) or the Niño Jesús Blessing by Juan de Mesa found in the Museum of Fine Arts of Córdoba, among others."

· Size: 40x32x88 cms. altura niño 63 cms
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: ZE173
CHRIST (CORPUS CHRISTI). GILT COPPER, ENAMEL, JET (STONE) EYES, TEXTIL...

Crucified Christ. Gold copper, enamel, jet eyes. Limoges, France, 13th century.
On a wooden and textile support, a gilded copper Crucified Christ has been placed to enhance it, crowned, with his bowed face and open jet eyes, with a long purity cloth and decorated with enamels in blue and white tones, with two nails (one in each hand) and a support for the feet. The figure draws a smooth curve that adds some movement, maintaining a highly schematic anatomy, as well as the expression of the face.
Compare this piece with others kept in prominent institutions: the one dated around 1220-1230 in the Louvre Museum in Paris (OA 11935), the one from the 13th century with jet eyes in the Besançon Cathedral (France), several in the Galleria Farnese (Museo di Capodimonte) from Italy, another from the 13th century from the Metropolitan Museum in New York (25,120,441), pieces from the British Museum in London, etc. Although normally these Crucified ones were in a composition with more figures or in some piece (processional cross, casket, etc.), it is more common that only the figure is preserved.
Limoges enamels are known as a series of pieces of metal (copper, silver, gold) with a religious theme decorated with the champlevé enamel technique using a series of colors (blue, green, white ...), inherited or inspired by the works from the Monastery of Silos (Spain), and with a great boom throughout Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. Production had already declined by 1370, when the sack of Limoges by the English took place. However, towards the end of the 15th century it resurfaced, but already with the technique of "painted enamel" and clearly Renaissance models.
In the present specimen its state of conservation and dimensions stand out.
"

· Size: Cristo: 17x23 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0360
PAIR OF RELIEFS. POLYCHROMED AND GILT WOOD. CASTILIAN SCHOOL, SPAIN, 1...

Pair of reliefs. Carved, polychrome and gilded wood. Castilian school, 16th century.
Pair of carved and polychrome wood reliefs with religious figurative scenes located against a landscape background and under two semicircular arches, which present geometric squares with simple moldings on the spandrels. One of the panels shows Christ half naked, tied to a column with a smooth and tall shaft with a capital (reminiscent of that of the Ionic order), and flanked by two soldiers with armor of influence from Roman Antiquity (one with a three-tailed whip and the other raising a kind of bundle of branches). In the other panel, Jesus is bound, seated, covered with a golden cloak or mantle, and accompanied by three other soldiers dressed in armor similar to those in the other relief and holding various items in their hands.
From the postures of the characters and the elements in their hands, it can be said that the first of the panels shows the Flagellation and the second would be a Scorn (or, more specifically, the moment of the Crowning with Thorns). The first relief shows Jesus tied with his arms behind his back and one foot, to a column with a high, smooth shaft topped with a capital that closely resembles those of the Doric Roman order; the executioners or soldiers that flank him have moved postures, and classic-looking outfits. The other also has a clear Renaissance influence both in the anatomy of the figures and in certain elements, and in some small details it resembles engravings on the same subject (Hieronymus Wierix, etc.).
It was not until the second third of the 16th century when sculptors emerged in Spain who reached great heights in the Spanish Renaissance, inspired by Italian forms, but providing their own national touch, creating different schools, and with a clear preference for polychrome wood. and stew. At this time, one of the main workshops was Valladolid, with names like Alonso Berruguete and Juan de Juni. Later, the art evolved towards a classicist or Romanist mannerism, with an important influence of Italian masters, with a clear influence of Michelangelo and names such as Gaspar Becerra, Esteban Jordán, Juan de Ancheta, etc."

· Size: 34,5x5x72,5 cms. / 26x6x72 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZE124
VIRGIN WITH CHILD JESUS. POLYCHROMED WOOD. SPAIN, CA. END 15TH CENTURY...

Virgin with Child. Polychrome wood. Spain, towards the end of the 15th century.
Carving made in polychrome wood of the Virgin Mary dressed in a red tunic and with a white cloak covering her hair, shoulders and knees, sitting on a backless throne with simple architectural elements on the sides, and with the Child Jesus also sitting on her knees, with a globe in the left hand and blessing with the right hand. On the back, at the base of the throne, there is a legend with some losses over the years: “De do? Renonbres, Madam / Did a religiosso write / the one from Monsarrate, aurora / because a child took him / to be my entourage "February 2, 1688
The composition of the carving follows a common rule in Spanish sculpture already present in works from the 13th century, as can be seen by comparing the work with a sculpture dated around 1200 from the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, and which continues to be popular in the century XV (compare with the carving of Santa Ana, the Virgin and the Child of the XV century of the Diocesan Museum and Cathedral of Valladolid). However, it should be noted that it is also a popular scheme in the rest of Europe.
Taking into account the inscription on the back (which, given the date, is a later addition), it is necessary to indicate that, although the best known Virgin of Montserrat "La Moreneta" is the patron saint of Catalonia venerated in the Monastery of Monsterrat It is not the only one in the Spanish and South American geography. Compare the carving with the Virgin of Monserrate in Orihuela (the original image disappeared in the Civil War, but after the conflict José María Sánchez Lozano was commissioned to make a new carving, crowned in 1959), whose name was changed from that of the image Catalan by order of Pope Sixtus IV in 1483. This sculpture also reminds of numerous painted images: "Our Lady of Monserrate" from the Santafereña school of the 18th century (Art Collection of the Bank of the Republic of Bogotá, Colombia; inv. AP5203) , "Virgen de Monserrate" by Manuel García from the seventeenth century (Teodoro Vidal Collection; Puerto Rico Museum of Art), painting of the main altar of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Monserrate in Puerto Rico, etc."

· Size: 44x22x80 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZE157
”MADONNA WITH CHILD AND ANGELS”. BRONZE AND LAPIS LAZULI. ITALY, 15TH-...

Relief "Virgin with Child and angels". Italy, XV-XVI centuries.
Bronze in its color and gold, lapis lazuli, rock crystal, enamel.
In the center of the work, the figure of Mary is presented, enthroned, with a cloak on her shoulders and hair and holding the Child on her knees, who appears addressing one of the angels. The Virgin is also sheltered by an ogee arch supported on turned columns, and visually elevated by steps. This composition achieves a very striking contrast: the figure in dark bronze, in contrast to the lapis lazuli background and the part of the arch and the exterior of it, in gilt bronze. Under the steps appears an enamel heraldic shield with a key on an azure background. The angels, kneeling, are flanking this figure, and, appearing in dark bronze, they visually share the “category” of religious figures with Mary, while their (lower) position gives greater status to both the Mother and Jesus. The rest of the composition is completed with a delicate landscape: buildings and walls on mountains, clouds in the sky, plants, stones, etc. To the outside, there is another lapis lazuli frame decorated in the corners with appliques, giving way to the carved and polychrome wood.
Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious stone already known in the VII millennium BC. C., found in deposits from the Caucasus to Mauritania. From the end of the Middle Ages, its export to Europe increased, its use being more frequent since then both to use it as a pigment in pictures after grinding it (giving rise to the finest and most expensive of the blues, and of the colors on many occasions ), as well as for backgrounds of paintings, inlays in works of art, jewelry and, a little later, in the well-known “hard stone works”.
The figure of Mary still shows an influence of Gothic models, although more European than Italian, together with elements that could already show a closeness to the Renaissance: although the nakedness of Jesus is already shown in Gothic works (Madonna with Angels by Fra Angelico ), the creation of space by playing with the cloth in front of Christ can be seen in more advanced paintings (Virgin and Child by Domenico Ghirlandaio, National Gallery, London); the presence of a powerful throne can be seen frequently in Italian Madonnas of the Quattrocento (and before), but not quite as presented here. As for the landscape, it must be compared, for example, with that of the fresco by Condotiero Guidoriccio de Fogliano (Simone Martini, finished in 1328).
This is a work of great technical and aesthetic quality, not to mention the materials chosen for its creation, comparable only to outstanding examples from around the world, such as those preserved in the Madama Palace in Torino (Italy), in which the coral it also has an important role. It is essential to mention, too, works such as the hard stone plate (lapis lazuli among them) with a relief of Mary with the Child in bronze, made around 1580-1600 in Italy and preserved in the Art Institute of Chicago; or the “Panorama della Piazza della Signoria” (Jacopo Bilivert, ca. 1599) of the Pitti Museum; or the “Banquet of the Gods”, which follows a design by Guglielmo della Porta, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum in New York."

· Size: 20x22,5x3,5
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0123
TANKARD. GILDED SILVER, IVORY. GERMANY, 18TH CENTURY.

Tankard. Silver gilt, ivory. Germany, 18th century.
Cylindrical container with a lid made of ivory carved in its color and gilt silver that has a flat base decorated with plant elements, a "ce" shaped handle decorated with engraved leaves, and a lid (this one with a piece of gilt silver similar to that of the base, and another piece of carved ivory, topped with an acorn of this material). On the front of the tankard, between two bands of garlands of clear classic memory, there is a scene with naked figures (some riding horses) in a fighting attitude.
On the lid, topped with an acorn, there is a figurative carving with various characters on a natural background, with glasses and other containers. This Bacchanal is one of the most common classical scenes at certain moments in Art History, and the aforementioned garlands and the theme of the front respond to this same influence. The Rape of the Sabine Women is a theme from ancient pagan mythology and chosen by masters such as Giambologna or Rubens. The composition in this piece shows movement and a clear study of anatomy (with a marked contrast between the male and female figures), but keeping a certain harmony and maintaining the flat background and "white" spaces between the figures.
Compare, for example, the 17th century ivory and gilt silver tankard from the Emma Budge Collection, or the ivory and gilt silver tankard by Octavian Cocssel (Austria, act. 1691-1716) from the Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery from Ontario presenting the Rape of the Sabine Women, appreciating the differences; and with others from leading institutions and private collections. Weight: 845 gr."

· Size: 17x13x19 cms
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0551
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PROCESSIONAL CROSS WITH CHRIST. COPPER, ENAMEL. LIMOGES, FRANCE, 13TH-...

Processional cross finish with Crucified. Golden copper, enamels. Limoges, France, 13th-14th centuries.
Latin-type processional cross made of gilded copper, with fleur-de-lis-shaped finials on its arms, four oval extensions on them (which are included above and below in the plates that decorate the piece), decorated on the back with a composition simplified plant elements in which there are three winged animals and a character seated at a table and with a space, in the center, with an enameled plate; In front, with a similar composition in the background, and apart from the two mentioned plates, there is a figure of Jesus Crucified with three nails, a short purity cloth, a softened anatomy and a face with schematic features and a slightly inclined head. The decorative motifs of the cross have been enhanced thanks to a work of "luster mince" based on small circles in the "background".
Iconographically, on the front of the piece, an angel appears descending from the heavens with a censer above it, and a human figure sitting on a throne, with a phylactery and nimbus around the head, with short hair; on the back, with remains of enamel, Christ on the Throne, holding the Orb of Creation, and, on the cross, the elements of the Tetramorph (lion, bull, eagle and "winged man").
Limoges enamels are known as a series of pieces of metal (copper, silver, gold) with a religious theme decorated with the champlevé enamel technique using a series of colors (blue, green, white ...), inherited or inspired by the works from the Monastery of Silos (Spain), and with a great boom throughout Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. Production had already declined by 1370, when the sack of Limoges by the English took place. However, towards the end of the 15th century it resurfaced, but already with the technique of "painted enamel" and clearly Renaissance models. The amount of conserved pieces has allowed a series of more or less detailed studies, immediately perceiving the existence of a series of "prototypes" or "models" that would be repeated with slight variations for quite some time both in the figures and in chests, staves, etc.; Likewise, it is necessary to insist on the variety of objects made in Limoges with the typical decoration of colored enamels and gold-plated metal, preserved in some of the main private collections and in prominent museums around the world.
Compare this piece with the 13th century processional cross of the Diocesan Museum of Lleida also made in Limoges, a specimen preserved in private collections, the silver with enamels dated in the 14th century known as "Cruz de Noguera" (today in the Museum Diocesan of the Cathedral of El Salvador de Albarracín) and one similar to this one that is in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (with a stamp from Tarragona), for example."

· Size: 38x3x59 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0375
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PAIR OF POLYCHROMED WOODEN SCULPTURES. “SAINTS APOSTLES JOHN AND PAUL”...

Pair of polychrome wood sculptures. "Saint John and Saint Paul". Castilian school, 16th century.
Both male figures have been represented standing, with their main iconographic attributes and dressed in the timeless robes that the time reserved to highlight the sacred people. The youngest has a chalice in his hand, from which comes out a serpent, and an eagle at his feet; the bearded man presents a sword with the hilt visible.
The first is Saint John, with the eagle of the Tetramorph alluding to his Gospel, and the chalice related to the episode of the Golden Legend of Jacobo de la Maelstrom in which he tells that the Emperor Domitian wanted to kill him with a wine with poison, which escaped in the form of a serpent after the evangelist blessed the cup. The second is Saint Paul, with that characteristic aspect that relates him to much earlier early Christian works and to the sword of his martyrdom, which also refers to a text from his Letter to the Ephesians.
Stylistically, both round-shaped devotional carvings show a marked Italian Renaissance influence in cloths, contrapposto, proportions and gestures, distancing the works from the other trend of the time that was closer to Flemish models, who preferred greater drama. The Gothic has been left behind, as evidenced by the naturalness of faces, folds, anatomy and gestures, after much effort. It was necessary first to accustom the clientele to new tastes and for the artists to learn the technical and aesthetic novelties that the arrival of the Renaissance brought, and it developed at different times and at very different levels depending on the region or artist. Compare the works, for example, with the San Juan de Círculo by Juan Rodríguez from the Simón Díaz Foundation (work deposited in the Museum of the Fairs of Medina del Campo, Valladolid)."

· Size: 26x26x76 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z3642
CHRIST (CORPUS CHRISTI). COPPER, ENAMEL, TEXTILE, WOOD. LIMOGES, FRANC...

Romanesque Christ. Copper, enamels. Limoges, France, 12th-13th centuries.
In a later wooden and textile support a crucified copper Christ has been placed to highlight it, crowned, with his face up and his jet eyes open, with a long purity cloth (further back) and decorated with enamels in blue tones , with two nails (one in each hand) and a footrest (with two other nails). The figure maintains a straight posture, and a highly schematized anatomy, as well as the expression of the face.
Although normally these Crucified ones were in a composition with more figures or in some piece (processional cross, casket, etc.), it is more common that only the figure is preserved. Compare this piece with others preserved in prominent institutions: Christ with a processional cross from around 1190 from the MNAC of Spain, a piece with stones from the 13th century from the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, another dated from the 13th century from The Walters Museum with a similar posture at present, one at the Art Institute of Chicago dated around 1200-1210 (inv. 1943.79), one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the purity cloth in blue tones (inv. 25,120,441), etc.
Limoges enamels are known as a series of pieces of metal (copper, silver, gold) with a religious theme decorated with the champlevé enamel technique using a series of colors (blue, green, white ...), inherited or inspired by the works from the Monastery of Silos (Spain), and with a great boom throughout Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. Production had already declined by 1370, when the sack of Limoges by the English took place. However, towards the end of the 15th century it resurfaced, but already with the technique of "painted enamel" and clearly Renaissance models."

· Size: 18x2,5x22 cms.
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0359
WOODEN RELIEV, SAINT JAMES “MATAMOROS”, 17TH CENTURY.

Carved wood relief, Santiago Matamoros. XVII century.
A male figure raises his right hand while controlling the horse on which he is mounted. At the feet of the equine, several men appear lying down, kneeling ... exhibiting gestures of pain.
The rider is Santiago, identified by his pilgrim hat and by the shells that adorn this garment and the cape he wears. Santiago de Zebedeo, also called Santiago el Mayor, was one of the Apostles of Jesus and is recognized by the pilgrim's garb and by the scallop shells in connection with his tomb in Compostela. Iconographically, one of the ways in which he can present himself is known as "Santiago Matamoros" or "in the Battle of Clavijo": the Apostle would have appeared to King Ramiro I in dreams, advising him to start the fight against the Muslims in Clavijo (La Rioja), supposed confrontation that would have taken place in 844 and that justified the so-called Voto de Santiago. Although it seems that this battle would be included in the chronicles from Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada around 1243 and was not real, it gave rise to one of the best known representations of this Martyr (he died beheaded by order of the King of Judea Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem and his disciples brought his body to Spain).
The figures at the feet of the saint are defeated Muslims, identified by their turbans, their physical appearance and the quarter of the crescent moon that adorns the shield that one carries. Although the saint would not have really intervened in the fight, he has always been represented taking part in it as a victorious horseman, with his sword raised and fighting. Its popularity increases notably since the second half of the 15th century, as it is used as an emblem of the struggle (and victory) of Catholicism against all its enemies: Turks, heretics, etc.
This work was part of an altarpiece dedicated to the Apostle, hence the back has not been carved. It is necessary to emphasize the quality of the carving and the movement that the main figures present, as corresponds to the time in which he made the work. The dovetail that joins the two boards that make up the relief are a sample of the carpentry tradition of the Baroque sculptors and are rarely visible, as it is hidden by the polychrome."

· Size: 60x20x94 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z5263
CHRIST (CORPUS CHRISTI) WITH CROSS. GILT COPPER, ENAMEL, JEST (STONE)....

Crucified on the Cross. Copper and enamel, jet. Limoges, France, 12th-13th centuries.
Latin cross with circular widening in the area where the two crossbars that form it join, decorated with simplified geometric and vegetal elements in enamel, in which a figure of Christ has been fixed with four nails (usual iconography in the Middle Ages) crucified, dressed in a cloth of purity by the knees, eyes open in jet, marked and geometrized anatomy and traces of gilding and enamels.
Compare this piece with other works conserved in private collections and in institutions such as the Salisbury Museum in England dating from the 12th century, a cross from the Metropolitan Museum in New York from the 13th century (inv. 17.190.332), another from the late 20th Approximately XII that is in the Treasury of the Cathedral of Trier (Germany), Christs of the Museum of Capodimonte (Galleria Farnese) in Italy, a cross of the Cincinnati Art Museum (USA), with an enameled crucifix of the Diocesan Museum of La Seu de Urgell (Spain), with that of the Museo del Retablo in Burgos (Spain), etc. The similarities in the pieces are explained by the abundant production, which followed a series of models and which has also allowed a relatively large number of copies to be preserved.
Limoges enamels are known as a series of pieces of metal (copper, silver, gold) with a religious theme decorated with the champlevé enamel technique using a series of colors (blue, green, white ...), inherited or inspired by the works from the Monastery of Silos (Spain), and with a great boom throughout Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. Production had already declined by 1370, when the sack of Limoges by the English took place. However, towards the end of the 15th century it resurfaced, but already with the technique of "painted enamel" and clearly Renaissance models."

· Size: cruz 11x18,5 cristo 11x13 cms
ANTIQUES

Ref.: ZF0361
”CHILD PORTRAIT”. MARBLE AND BRONZE. SPAIN, 19TH CENTURY.

"Girl with flowers on a basket". Sculpture in white marble and bronze, on base. Spain, 19th century.
The pedestal, in the shape of a smooth shaft column, elevates the sculpture and highlights it with its elegance of lines and lack of exaggerated decorative elements (apart from some moldings in what would be the capital and the change of veined marble in the upper piece, on which the sculpture is located). The figure of the girl, carved in a high quality white marble, is seated, looking into the distance, and with a bouquet of flowers in her arms and a medal hanging from a cord around her neck. When sitting on a basket with flowers, the figure is softened, in addition to enhancing it with the chromatic contrast between the flowers and the basket (patinated bronze) and the figure. The girl's hairstyle, with pictorial waves without a powerful chiaroscuro, contrasts with the detail of the dress, perfect both in the ruffles at the neck and in the embroidery on the fabric and with which, in addition, an “informal ”By showing a shoulder strap and a wrinkled skirt. This lack of formality fits the theme perfectly, and is slightly accentuated by presenting the figure in socks (or stockings, dropped) and without shoes. The realism of the face (attenuated with a slight idealization) suggests that it is a child portrait.
The pictorial treatment of the figure and the roses is related to artistic approaches that emerged throughout the 19th century and to a certain aesthetic and level of skill. Stylistically, it is possible to relate it to the environment and the influence of two key figures of 19th century Spanish art due to their craftsmanship, features, technical mastery and originality: Agustín Querol and Mariano Benlliure. The quality of the work is undeniable: with a great economy of elements, an elegant figure has been achieved, without losing childish details according to the theme; the qualities can be seen in both bronze and marble; the chromatic combination enhances the figure; the naturalism of the girl's face; the composition of the sculpture; etc. Thus, it is possible to find parallels with outstanding works from the 19th century: note the similarity in the hair with the "Naked Child" by Augstín Querol y Subirats (around 1900, Prado Museum in Madrid), it also recalls in certain details the bust of the 18th Duchess of Alba by Mariano Benlliure (made around 1928)."

· Size: Busto: 50x50x71 cms. Peana: 37x37x116 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE

Ref.: Z6639