Attributed to the Master of the Santa Sangre

Attributed to the MAESTRO DE LA SANTA SANGRE; XVI century.
"The Adoration of the Kings", "The Adoration of the Shepherds" and "The Virgin of the Milk".
Oil on panel.
Provenance: Palace of Mondragon.
Measurements: 115 x 172 cm (open); 115 x 86 x 8 cm (closed).
This triptych of the XVI century, attributed to the Master of the Holy Blood, gathers three fundamental scenes of the Christian iconography: The adoration of the Kings in the central panel, flanked by The adoration of the shepherds and The Virgin of the milk. The work responds to the sensibility of late Gothic Flemish painting, where meticulous detail and symbolism coexist with a growing attention to naturalism.
In the central panel, the Epiphany scene unfolds with narrative richness: the Magi, dressed in luxurious clothes, offer their gifts to the Child, held by the Virgin in a serene and restrained attitude. The contrast between the humility of the surroundings and the sophistication of the characters underlines the universal character of the event. The use of color, with deep reds, dark greens and golds, and the careful arrangement of the figures guide the eye towards the devotional center of the composition.The left panel, dedicated to the adoration of the shepherds, introduces a more intimate and humble atmosphere. Here, the Virgin appears in recollection, surrounded by popular figures that bring closeness and humanity to the story. In contrast, the right panel presents the Virgin of the milk, an image of great tenderness that emphasizes the maternal dimension of Mary and the incarnation of Christ from a more domestic and affectionate point of view.
Stylistically the work is a clear example of the distinctive characteristics of the Flemish school of the 16th century. Meticulous realism, attention to detail and mastery of the oil technique are evident in every element of the painting. The figures are depicted with an anatomical precision and emotional expressiveness that reveal the artist's mastery. The details, from the textures of the fabrics to the facial features of the characters, are treated with a meticulousness that denotes a profound knowledge of reality.
Aesthetically, the piece is reminiscent of models created by the painter known as the "Master of the Holy Blood", a Flemish painter, originally from Antwerp, whose workshop was active in Bruges in the first quarter of the 16th century. His name comes from the Chapel of the Holy Blood in Bruges, where a triptych representing a Pietà is preserved, donated in 1519 to the Confraternity of the Holy Blood. Like all anonymous masters, his biography is little known, apart from the fact that he established his workshop in Bruges in the early 16th century. He and his apprentices produced devotional works for sale and not on commission, unlike most of his contemporaries. He seems to have been a disciple or close disciple of Quentin Metsys and was also influenced by Hans Memling. He was also a follower of Gérard David and Hugo Van der Goes. The influence of Quentin Metsys can be seen especially in certain types of saints and in the almost caricatured male figures. He seems to have had a predilection for faces presented three-quarter length, slender, with straight and thin noses, small mouths and round chins in the case of women, more pronounced in the case of men. The eyelids are lowered in a crescent or slit shape, in which case the pupils are round and very dark. The light brown curly hair has reddish highlights. The preparatory brushstroke is often very visible, closely outlining the silhouettes.