"Seat of Wisdom (Sedes Sapientiae)". Carved, polychromed and silvered sculpture. Romanesque. Possibly Castilla. 13th century.

The Madonna is seated in a frontal position on her throne of glory, wearing a short veil and a crown.
With her right hand she holds a sphere in the style of the apple of the Garden of Eden, as an attribute to redeem sin, while in her left hand she clasps the cloak which falls onto her knees. Her face is framed by a veil and has a serious yet sweet expression. The Crucified Christ in Majesty, and the Madonna and Child were the most commonly depicted motifs in religious imagery from the 12th century and throughout a large part of the Middle Ages. These sculptures were placed on altars, and inspired intense devotion. Through these images, the faithful were able to better project their religious feelings onto a three-dimensional sculpture. Also, in the case of the Virgin Mary, these images were used as a way of redirecting pagan worship of female idols and divinities, which some European regions still professed in the Early Middle Ages.
The first appearances of Romanesque Madonnas, are, as in this case, of the Sedes Sapientiae or Seat of Wisdom type, from the Byzantine tradition.
Height: 45 cm.