Catalan school, end of the 12th century - beginning of the 14th century.

Catalan school, late twelfth century - early fourteenth century.
"Virgin and Child.
Carved wood.
It presents good general state of preservation, with wear, cracks, small faults and losses typical of its age.
Measurements: 106 x 44 x 43 cm.

Wood carving of large dimensions representing the Virgin and Child, following the medieval model of the Sedes Sapientiae or Throne of Wisdom, a typology widely spread in Catalonia between the Romanesque period and the beginning of the Gothic.

The Virgin appears enthroned and crowned, in a frontal and solemn attitude, with the Child seated on her lap. The composition maintains the hieratism and axial rigidity typical of the Romanesque tradition, visible in the symmetrical arrangement of the figures and in the majestic conception of Mary as Queen of Heaven. However, the softening of the facial features and the more dynamic treatment of some folds allow us to relate the work to a moment of transition towards an initial Gothic sensibility.

The Child holds an orb in one of his hands, an element associated with his universal dominion and his salvific mission. The frontality of both figures reinforces the devotional character of the image, conceived to preside over a liturgical space and function as a vehicle for contemplation and theological teaching.

The work retains a remarkable formal and volumetric presence despite the losses typical of its age. The hollowed-out back is a common practice in medieval sculptures of this format, intended to lighten the weight of the piece and favor the stability of the wood.

Because of its iconography, scale and formal language, this sculpture is part of the tradition of Catalan enthroned virgins preserved in important medieval art collections, including the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, where similar examples such as the Virgin of Ger or the Virgin of Gósol are kept.