Catalan school of the last quarter of the 15th century

Catalan school of the last quarter of the fifteenth century.
"Virgin of purity".
Oil and tempera on panel.
Original polychrome. Gilded parts.
With restorations.
Measurements: 39 x 25 cm; 43 x 33 cm (frame).

This is a sumptuous example of the domestic devotional painting of the late Gothic period in the Crown of Aragon. The Virgin Mary is presented in a closed frame, captured in bust, with a face of very pale, pearly complexion, which contrasts strongly with the golden background. Her features follow the canon of beauty of the time: a broad, clear forehead, almond-shaped eyes with heavy eyelids and a small, pink mouth. The gaze is turned slightly to one side, conveying a sense of introspective serenity and melancholy.

She wears no crown or jewelry. Her head is covered by a simple, dense white veil that wraps around her neck like a headdress. The brushstrokes on the veil create a pleated texture that seeks to simulate the quality of the fabric, while reinforcing her title as "Virgin of Purity" through the dominant use of white.

One of the most distinctive elements of the Catalan school of this period is the treatment of the background: worked in the manner of pictorial gold work. The gold background is engraved or punched with an intricate vegetal pattern of curved stems, leaves and stylized flowers. This type of decoration sought to dematerialize the physical space, placing the Virgin in a celestial and timeless environment, as well as reflecting the light of the candles in their original context, creating a mystical effect.

At the bottom, separated by a fictitious or real molding, is a golden cartouche with the inscription in black gothic letters: "ave maria". This inscription alludes directly to the Annunciation. Although the Virgin appears alone, the presence of this text suggests that the image functioned as a reminder of the Archangel Gabriel's greeting.

The work is situated in the last quarter of the 15th century. At this time, Catalan painting was influenced by the Hispano-Flemish style. This can be seen in the mixed technique (oil and tempera): tempera allowed opacity and quick drying, while the introduction of oil (Flemish influence) allowed better work glazes and fleshing of the face, although here the treatment is still quite linear and graphic.

The persistence of the gold background is a characteristic deeply rooted in the Crown of Aragon, which maintained a taste for the decorative luxury of the International Gothic for longer than other regions of Europe.

From its proportions it can be deduced that this panel does not seem to have been part of a large church altarpiece, but was a piece of private devotion. It was intended for a domestic oratory, a monastic cell or the room of a well-to-do person. Its function was to serve as a focus for personal prayer, inviting the faithful to pray the "Ave Maria" while contemplating the purity of the Mother of God.

It is a delicate piece that combines the decorative sumptuousness of Catalan Gothic with the intimacy and simplicity of modern devotion that was beginning to emerge at the end of the Middle Ages.