Andalusian School; XVIII century.

Andalusian School; XVIII century.
"Immaculate".
Carved wood, gilded and polychrome.
Measurements: 94 x 57 x 40 cm.
Dated in the 18th century, the great Immaculate that concerns us is determined by the voluptuousness and the movement of her mantle, as well as by the expressiveness of the gesture of her body and face. The Virgin is represented full-length, on a pedestal formed by a molded pedestal of sober character, Mary is presented to the viewer in a monumental way and with an active attitude that has been captured by the sculptor through the expression, with one hand on her chest and the other slightly open at her waist. Avoiding the pious attitude of the hands on the chest, usual in this sculptural typology. Aesthetically it is an image still anchored in the baroque, especially in the folds of the canvases, wide and very chiaroscuro, worked with a lot of relief. In addition, the sculptor has taken special care to reflect the expression of serene and mystical happiness of Mary's face, magnificently achieved.
Spanish baroque sculpture is one of the most authentic and personal examples of our art, because its conception and its form of expression arose from the people and the deepest feelings that nestled in it. With the economy of the State broken, the nobility in decline and the high clergy burdened with heavy taxes, it was the monasteries, the parishes and the confraternities of clerics and laymen who promoted its development, the works sometimes being financed by popular subscription. Sculpture was thus forced to embody the prevailing ideals in these environments, which were none other than religious ones, at a time when the Counter-Reformation doctrine demanded a realistic language from art so that the faithful would understand and identify with what was represented, and an expression endowed with an intense emotional content to increase the fervor and devotion of the people. This prominence of sculpture and the splendor of the genre during the Baroque caused a great influence of this style that extended over time to later periods.