Flemish school circa 1500

Flemish school circa 1500,
"Saint Mary of Cleophas".
Carved and gilded oak wood.
Measurements: 34 cm (height).

Wood carving possibly part of a Calvary or a Christ carrying the Cross. St. Mary Cleophas, known as the wife of Cleophas, was a woman who was present at the crucifixion of Christ. She lived in the first century and would have been one of the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth who had followed and helped him since he was in Galilee.

The introduction of the Italian Renaissance in the Netherlands was slow and difficult due to the fact that it came up against a solid autochthonous art of the highest level and great tradition. Thus, the acceptance of the new style coming from Italy was late and the Gothic decorations were still maintained for a long time. Nevertheless, there were Flemish artists who traveled to Italy and returned, converted into "Italianists", spreading the new style. This is particularly the case of the Academy of Haarlem and the school of Mechelen, important centers of the new trend. There everything will be done in the Italian way, and there will even be a Dutch Vasari, Carel Van Mander, who in 1604 published the biographies of the illustrious painters of his land.