Andalusian school; first half of the seventeenth century. "Child of the ball".

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DECORATIVE ARTS XV-XIX

By Setdart Auction House

Jul 13, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-07-13 07:00:00 2021-07-13 07:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : DECORATIVE ARTS XV-XIX https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/decorative-arts-xv-xix-7201
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• Lot Description
  Andalusian school; first half of the seventeenth century. "Child of the ball". Polychrome wood, carved and gilded. Presents repainting. Ball and pedestal of later period. Measures: 90 x 42 x 40 cm. Image of round bulk carved in wood and polychrome, framed within the Spanish school of the seventeenth century. It represents the iconography of the Child of the Ball, in which Jesus child, appears naked, which indicates that perhaps it is an image designed to be dressed in royal clothes. In spite of this, the carving is magnificently worked in all its details, which indicates the quality of the piece and the mastery and prestige of its author. The iconography of the Child of the Ball alludes to the universality of the Christian doctrine, and consists of the representation of the Child Jesus with a sphere that represents the universe, placed in his hand or under his feet. It is a Triumphant Child, Savior of the World, and symbolizes the idea of Jesus as man and savior, lord of all the Earth, which he redeems with his death and resurrection. It is an iconography that combines divine power and grace with the happy innocence and humble condition of God incarnate: the omnipotence of the Son, being a child with the orb in his hand, like a little boy with his ball. This figuration is also characterized by the gesture of blessing and the absence of any painful trace. Sometimes, although not in this specific case, the ball is topped with the cross, representing a symbol alluding to the universal projection of the redemptive act. This iconography is widely related to that of "Salvator Mundi", a representation that tries to show the Christological concept of Jesus Christ as universal savior, in relation to his role as judge in the Final Judgment and his character of Redeemer. It is characterized by presenting Christ raising his right hand as a sign of blessing, while holding with his left hand an orb symbolizing the universe. The leading role played by the Andalusian school of sculpture during the period known as the Golden Age is evident; to it belong a series of masters of unquestionable worth who knew how to combine in their works the extraordinary technical quality and religious depth, in accordance with the atmosphere of their time, fully connected with the tastes of the clientele, more interested in the work of religious themes than in commissions of a profane nature, thus marking a substantial difference with respect to the production of other European countries. It is also worth mentioning that the economic development and the strength that Seville experienced after the Discovery of America, having become the gateway and port of the Indies, was quickly reflected in art; from the first decades of the century, masters of different origins began to visit the city constantly in search of the American market and the potential Sevillian clientele, increasingly attracted by the new artistic forms arriving from Italy.
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