Plateresque altarpiece panel. Castilian school, mid-16th century.

Plateresque altarpiece panel. Castilian school, mid-16th century.
Carved, gilded, and polychromed wood.
It shows loss of gilding and polychromy, small missing areas, and signs of wood-boring insects.
Measurements: 3 × 35 × 44 cm.

The panel reflects the Plateresque ornamental repertoire prevalent in 16th-century Castilian altarpiece art. The strictly symmetrical composition is organized around a large plant-shaped cup from which scrollwork, fleshy leaves, and fantastical motifs spring forth. On either side, two winged angels are integrated among the volutes, accompanied by masks, birds, and human figures of classical origin.