Flemish school, Malines Gothic model; century XVI.

Flemish school, Mechelen Gothic model; 16th century.
"Virgin and Child with Saint Anne.
Carved wood.
It presents faults in the carving.
Measurements: 47 x 20 x 10 cm.
Sculpture carved in wood representing the Virgin and Saint Anne, his mother, with the Baby Jesus. Saint Anne holds a basket with what seems to be grapes, to which the Child brings his hand to take them, in an anecdotal and natural way. The back of the piece is not worked, which indicates that the piece was designed to be seen from the front and was probably located in some kind of niche that would have covered this area. However, the front of the piece is notable for its great delicacy, which can be seen in the soft, gentle features of the figures, and in the detail of the headdresses of the Virgin and her mother.
Aesthetically the work is reminiscent of the artistic production of Mechelen in Dutch Mechelen is a town in the district of the same name in the province of Antwerp, in the Flemish region of Flanders. The introduction of the Italian Renaissance into the Netherlands was slow and difficult because it was up against a strong indigenous art of the highest level and tradition. Thus, the acceptance of the new Italian style was late and the Gothic decorations remained in place for a long time. Nevertheless, there were Flemish artists who travelled to Italy and returned, becoming "Italianists", spreading the new style. This was particularly true of the Academy of Haarlem and the school of Mechelen, important centres of the new trend. There, everything was done in the Italian style, and there was even a Dutch Vasari, Carel Van Mander, who in 1604 published biographies of the illustrious painters of his country. Within the late Gothic period, one of the most difficult chapters to re-establish is that of Dutch sculpture. The dispersion of its artists throughout Europe, the export of works, the destruction of many others and the lack of adequate documentation make it difficult to establish the main lines of evolution. We know that Jean de Marville and Claus Sluter, the great sculptors active in Burgundy, came from here. The origin of Jean de Liège is the same as that of Jacques Baerze. However, we cannot be sure whether Nicolas de Leyden, who worked in Strasbourg, or Gil de Siloé, who worked in Burgos, were Flemish. Nevertheless, taking into account both the authors and the known pieces, we can deduce that there was a high level of quality. This is why the introduction of the Italian Renaissance in the Netherlands was slow and difficult, as it was up against a solid indigenous art of the highest level and great tradition. The acceptance of the new Italian style was therefore late, and the Gothic decorations remained in place for a long time. Nevertheless, there were Flemish artists who travelled to Italy and returned, becoming "Italianists", spreading the new style. This was particularly true of the Academy of Haarlem and the school of Mechelen, important centres of the new trend. There, everything was done in the Italian manner, and there was even a Dutch Vasari, Carel Van Mander, who in 1604 published biographies of the illustrious painters of his country.