Catalan school from the end of the 17th century

Catalan school from the end of the 17th century-early 18th century.
Pair of baroque pilasters.
Carved and lacquered wood.
There are flaws in the lacquer.
Measurements: 105 cm. and 97 cm. high.
Pair of architectural pilasters with a grooved base in the shape of a stipe and carved in its upper part with the sculptural representation of two pious figures endowed with great naturalistic expressiveness. One of them joins hands in prayer and raises her gaze to heaven. The other crosses her arms over her chest and holds a bunch of grapes, the Christian symbol par excellence. The carver has succeeded in bringing out the qualities of the aged flesh of the kindly faces. Veils and tunics take on the malleability of fabric. In the 17th century, the Catholic Church encouraged popular religiosity and reinforced the power of the image as an instrument for communicating its doctrine. Population growth and the appearance of new religious orders led to the expansion of churches, and altarpieces, stained glass windows and architectural sculptures became open books for the faithful.