Spanish school; early 16th century.

Spanish school; early sixteenth century.
"Virgin and Child.
Carved wood, polychrome and gilded.
Presents restorations.
Measurements: 112 x 50 x 33 cm.
In the first third of the 16th century, in a crucial moment for the Spanish art, this wonderful sculpture of the Virgin and Child appears, carved in wood and decorated with a rich polychrome. The work, delicate and at the same time imposing, reflects a period of artistic transition between the late Gothic and the incipient Renaissance, combining elements of both currents.
The Virgin Mary is presented as a serene, maternal figure. Her sweet and close face invites contemplation, while she holds the Child Jesus naturally, reflecting a moment of tenderness between mother and child. Her clothing is particularly striking: a blue cloak decorated with golden stars that evoke her celestial character and purity, while the folds of the cloak flow harmoniously, demonstrating the interest of the sculptors of the time in realism and the humanization of the sacred figures.
The Infant Jesus, half-naked and wrapped only in a simple cloth, seems to fully trust his mother, reinforcing the symbolism of protection and love that emanates from the scene. This humanistic approach was novel for the time, moving away from the rigid and solemn representations of medieval Gothic, in favor of an art that would connect emotionally with the viewer.
This sculpture, in addition to being a work of art, had an essential devotional function. Encased in churches or private spaces, it allowed the faithful to find in these figures a direct link with the divine. Polychromy, a distinctive technique of Spanish sculpture, not only endowed the images with realism, but also added a sense of closeness and warmth that was key to popular spirituality.
In the artistic context of the time, this work represents the ability of Spanish sculptors to integrate external influences, such as Italian Renaissance humanism or Flemish detailing, without losing their own identity. In 16th century Spanish sculpture, polychrome wood became an ideal vehicle for conveying emotions, spirituality and a visual narrative accessible to all.
Thus, this representation of the Virgin and Child stands as a testimony of a moment of great cultural and artistic transformation, in which the human and the divine meet in perfect harmony. A work that speaks to us of the past, but that continues to move and connect with us in the present.