Spanish, first half 16th century | Espagne, première moitié du XVIe siècle

This beautiful alabaster relief recalls the work of the Spanish Renaissance sculptors Bartolomé Ordóñez (circa 1480-1520), Diego de Siloé (circa 1495-1563) and Felipe Vigarny (active 1498-1542). Each of these sculptors had links to Burgos where Gil de Siloé (circa 1440-1501) had pioneered a new style of sculpture, whilst Ordóñez and the younger Siloé were active in Spanish-ruled Naples. Compare the large swathes of drapery, headdress with rippling folds above the forehead, delicate facial features and slender with the Demi-gisant figure reading attributed to Diego de Siloe in the church of Santa Maria dei Pignatelli in Naples (Naldi, op. cit., pp. 48-49, fig. 23). The twisting tresses of the Virgin’s hair compare with those of the angel seen in Ordóñez’s Saint Matthew and the angel in the church of San Pietro Martire also in Naples. The composition with both Virgin and Child adopting tactile gestures is also typical of Spanish sculpture of this period, which was heavily influenced by Italian prototypes, particularly works by Donatello. Compare with Vigarny’s masterful Virgin and Child medallion in the National Museum fo Sculpture in Valladolid.

RELATED LITERATURE

R. Naldi, Magnificence of Marble: Bartolomé Ordóñez and Diego de Siloé: Sculpture of the Renaissance in Naples, Munich, 2018