Pair of eardrums of altarpiece, XVIII century.

Pair of tympanums of altarpiece. Spanish school, XVIII century
Carved, stuccoed, gilded and polychromed wood.
Measurements: 156 x 137 cm (each one)
They present losses in the polychromy and wear in the gilding (see images).

Magnificent pair of curved tympanums belonging to a baroque altarpiece of the 18th century, carved in wood and richly decorated with elements in gilded relief on a red background, framed by edges with marble polychrome in green tones. Each tympanum shows the figure of a mermaid or fantastic half-bodied female creature, integrated in a complex composition of vegetal scrolls, acanthus leaves and golden scales, in clear reference to the decorative iconography of the late Hispanic Baroque.
Both figures, crowned and adorned with necklaces of simulated gems, have serene and frontal faces, treated with a certain idealization, and are harmoniously integrated into the ornamental scroll, creating a symbiosis between human body and vegetal ornament very characteristic of the decorative baroque.

These pieces probably formed part of the attic or top of a main or side altarpiece of a Baroque church, fulfilling an ornamental function that crowned the architectural structure of the whole. The inclusion of hybrid figures such as these, a mixture of woman and foliage, is typical of the Andalusian and Castilian Baroque repertoire of the 18th century, influenced by the Italian Mannerist tradition and the decorative exuberance of the Counter-Reformation.
The tympana not only served to visually complete the architectural composition of the altarpiece, but also provided a symbolic and dynamic element that elevated the visual and devotional impact of the whole.