Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Virgin and Child in Majesty, also known as "Sedes Sapientae"

$35,340.18
£26,206.83
€30,000VAT Included
CA$49,343.09
A$50,064.38
CHF 28,599.92
MX$606,154.73
NOK 335,994.66
SEK 335,549.73
DKK 228,747.43

About the Item

VIRGIN AND CHILD IN MAJESTY, ALSO KNOWN AS "SEDES SAPIENTIAE"   ORIGIN : SPAIN, CATALOGNE PERIOD: EARLY 13th CENTURY   Height :  95 cm Width : 32 cm Depth : 28 cm   Softwood No polychromy     In the middle of the 12th century, the Virgin took her place in churches, seated in Majesty, serving as a throne for her son Jesus. She is then called Sedes Sapientiae, meaning the Throne of Wisdom. At that time, she is not represented for herself and only exists because she has been designated as Theotokos, the mother of God, at the Council of Ephesus in 431, where the divine nature of Christ was proclaimed from his birth.   The upright and perfectly hieratic bust of this Virgin and Child in Majesty is seated on a throne-bench. She is dressed in a tunic with a rounded neckline and covered with a fine mantle placed on her narrow shoulders. The supple and natural drapery follows the lines of the body.   Large curls frame her face with delicate and regular features, a long straight nose, almond-shaped eyes, and small lips.   She supports the Infant Jesus with her left hand. Like his mother, he is dressed in a long tunic, and his little feet are visible in the folds. He holds a small sphere in his left hand, while with his right hand, he gestures in blessing. The face of Christ bears a strong resemblance to his mother’s one, and he gives a slight smile.   The position of the Child is no longer as hieratic, nor frontal or central as in the early 12th century, but his face still turns towards the faithful.   The 13th century indeed emerges as a period of transition in the artistic domain. The statuary, while retaining certain characteristics still belonging to the habits of the previous century, also develops new formal solutions.   As a result, Mary maintains a hieratic and frontal position, while her son shifts to place himself well to the left on her knee. Similarly, while the Virgin seems perfectly still, Jesus, on the other hand, appears much more animated, especially in the positioning of his hands. His left hand holds the orb, and judging by the raised right arm directed towards the faithful, one can easily imagine that he was making a gesture of blessing.   The influence of the Sedes Sapientiae from previous centuries still seems particularly prevalent in this work.   These few characteristics allow dating this Spanish Virgin to the early 13th century
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 37.41 in (95 cm)Width: 12.6 in (32 cm)Depth: 11.03 in (28 cm)
  • Style:
    Gothic (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    13th Century
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Saint-Ouen, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU3115337984302

More From This Seller

View All
Virgin and Child in Majesty

Virgin and Child in Majesty

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Virgin and child in majesty Origine: castille Epoque: early 14th century Measures: Height: 72cm Length: 30cm Depth: 25cm Polychrome and gi...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Virgin and Child in Majesty with a Bird

Virgin and Child in Majesty with a Bird

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Virgin and child in majesty with a bird Origin: Southern Germany Or Austria Period: Late 13tth - Early 14th Century Height : 87.5 cm Length : 32 cm Depth : 19 cm Lime ...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Gothic Virgin and Child from Flanders

Gothic Virgin and Child from Flanders

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Exhibition Museum Cantini, 1952, The art of the Middle Ages in the Marseille collections, n°101 Provenance Former collection Louis Bresset (before 1952) Former collection Profe...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Dutch Gothic Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Oak

Virgin and Child "Sedes Sapientiae", Seat of Holy Wisdom

Virgin and Child "Sedes Sapientiae", Seat of Holy Wisdom

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Virgin and child sedes sapientiae, seat of holy wisdom Origin : Northern Spain, castile, navarre or galicia. Period : early 13th century. Heigh...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

You May Also Like

VIrgin and Child “Sedes Sapientiae" Seat of Holy Wisdom

VIrgin and Child “Sedes Sapientiae" Seat of Holy Wisdom

Located in PARIS, FR

Virgin and Child "Sedes Sapientiae" (Throne of Wisdom in Latin), carved in soft wood on the back. The Virgin Mary is depicted seated, holding the Infant Jesus on her lap: she thus s...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Gothic Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Virgin and the Child, Mosan Region, Second Half of 13th Century

Virgin and the Child, Mosan Region, Second Half of 13th Century

Located in Bruxelles, BE

A polychrome sculpture depicting the Virgin and the Child Mosan region, second half of 13th century Polychrome wood 73 x 29 X 12 cm Provenance : Former Belgian private collection from the beginning of the 20th century This remarkable early artwork portrays the Enthroned Virgin and Child, also known as Sedes Sapientiae, which translates to the 'Seat of Wisdom...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Belgian Medieval Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Antique Statue of Virgin Mary and Child , 19th Century

Antique Statue of Virgin Mary and Child , 19th Century

Located in Basildon, GB

A Pine Carving of Virgin and Child signed E. Lechner. Carved in 15th Century style, a high relief with a hollowed back and depicting the crowned Virgin standing on contrapose with lo...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Gothic Religious Items

Materials

Wood, Pine

Enthroned Madonna and Child.

Enthroned Madonna and Child.

Located in PARIS, FR

Large Virgin and Child in carved wood, carved back. Sitting on a throne bench, Mary carries Christ seated on her left knee. The Virgin has a face with stylized features with semicircular eyebrow arches, almond-shaped eyes with protruding eyeballs. Marie is wearing a belted dress with a simple neckline and a coat with a flap that goes back to the front. Tiny traces of polychromy. Romanesque influences are still present. With her protruding eyes, she can also be compared to the statuary of Lake Constance. Our Virgin, rare for its size, nevertheless presents strong analogies with the Italian Sedes Sapientiae...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Medieval Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Gothic Virgin and Child - Eastern France. Mid-14th century.

Gothic Virgin and Child - Eastern France. Mid-14th century.

Located in PARIS, FR

Gothic Virgin and Child - Eastern France. Mid-14th century. Carved in the round from walnut, this work relates to the output of workshops in eastern France in the mid-14th century. S...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Medieval Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Madonna and Child Statue, 17th Century

Madonna and Child Statue, 17th Century

Located in New Orleans, LA

Carved from wood with lovely details. The pedestal dimensions are 21 W X 16 Deep and 11 H which makes the overall height about 60". All items offered are antique, vintage, or mid-ce...

Category

Antique 17th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood