Flemish school, 17th century.

Flemish school, XVII century.
"Immaculate".
Carved and polychrome wood.
Presents restorations.
Measurements: 152 cm. height.

We are in front of a Flemish carving of very high quality and considerable dimensions, belonging to the Baroque period. It presents a preferably frontal work, as it has a niche on the back. The iconographic peculiarities that this Virgin presents in her invocation of the Immaculate increases, if possible, its value. Instead of holding the Child Jesus in her arms, as usual, the little one appears seated on the orb, the globe on which Mary's feet are resting in sandals. The scene glorifies the reign of Jesus over the orb while alluding to the Marian Ascension. The devil, in the form of the serpent of temptation, runs around the base in the shape of a ball and bites the apple of sin between his teeth. The Child Jesus holds a gnarled trunk in his right hand, a possible representation of the tree of life, a theme that would be linked to the apple and the symbol of the redemption that Jesus brings through his sacrifice. As we can see, the traditional iconography of the Immaculate Conception has its own evolution in the Antwerp workshops, detached from the more canonical Spanish models. The Virgin presents a stylized and monumental canon. She tilts her head tenderly and her hair falls in cascade on each side of the facial oval. She closes her eyelids, showing only a slit of her eyes. She assumes a reflective attitude, knowing the fate that awaits her little one and the pain that grips his future. She brings her right hand to her heart, trapping a piece of mantle under her palm. She brings one leg forward, bending her knee, giving her a graceful and balanced posture, dynamic yet restrained. The dress falls in deep folds to her feet, and her shoulders are covered by a blue mantle, the color of purity.

The Immaculate Conception is usually depicted following the apocalyptic description of the woman in chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation: a female figure clothed with the sun, with the moon at her feet and a crown of stars on her head. Although Flanders had its own artistic tradition, the strong connection with Spain allowed for an important cultural exchange. Flemish sculptors were influenced by Spanish religious sculpture, especially with regard to the representation of the Virgin. However, as we mentioned, they enjoyed greater freedom in iconographic development. The 17th century sculpture of the Immaculate Conception in Flanders is a masterful example of Baroque spirituality in the context of the Counter-Reformation. These works combined profound religious symbolism with extraordinary technical execution, appealing to both devotion and aesthetics. Flemish sculptors succeeded in creating images that conveyed an intense grace and majesty, presenting the Virgin as a symbol of divine purity, intercession and hope for the faithful.