Pair of reliefs; Castilian School, c. 1600

Pair of reliefs; Castilian School, c. 1600
"St. Paul & St. Peter"
Carved, gilded, and polychromed wood
The polychrome paint has some losses
Measurements: 48 x 20 x 8 cm (x2).

A pair of vertical reliefs depicting the apostles Saint Paul and Saint Peter, conceived individually but as complementary figures. Both are shown standing against a gilded background, draped in wide cloaks with deep folds that create a striking sense of volume. Saint Peter holds the keys to the Kingdom, while Saint Paul, depicted with a long beard, carries the sword of his martyrdom. The figures have highly expressive faces, furrowed brows, and robust physiques, as well as vigorous carving. Given their configuration, they must have been part of an altarpiece, where they would have been integrated into an iconographic program.

These reliefs can be classified within the Castilian Romanism movement, a sculptural style that developed approximately between 1570 and the early decades of the 17th century, marking the introduction into Spain of Italian Mannerist models—particularly those derived from Michelangelo and popularized by artists such as Gaspar Becerra. In contrast to the restrained naturalism of the first half of the 16th century, Romanism is characterized by figures of powerful monumentality, solid anatomy, broad drapery with broken folds, and intense expressiveness.

One of the notable features of this pair is the so-called “terribilità,” derived from Michelangelo’s style. The faces display a severe, almost wrathful expression, far removed from the pathos that would dominate later Baroque sculpture. These are figures conceived as pillars of the Church, endowed with an inner strength that manifests itself in the tension of their gestures or the robustness of their anatomy.

These artistic choices allow the work to be linked to the milieu of the great Castilian workshops active around Valladolid, Palencia, and Burgos, where the influence of masters such as Gaspar Becerra, Juan de Juni, and Esteban Jordán helped to consolidate this sculptural language.