Central Panel Of A Devotional Triptych – Virgin And Child, Tempera On Gilded Wood – Europe

This poignant work is the central panel of a devotional triptych, painted in the 17th century in the tradition of Eastern European or Balkan workshops.

Executed in egg tempera on chalk plaster, with a gold leaf background, it was probably intended for private prayer, in an aristocratic home or monastic setting.
At the heart of the composition, the Virgin Mary is depicted bust-length, holding the Infant Jesus on her lap in an exchange imbued with sacred intimacy. What is immediately striking is the delicacy of the Marian face: a perfect oval, fine, regular features, and wide-open almond-shaped eyes filled with a soft, melancholic light. Her gaze, turned toward the worshipper, radiates a silent tenderness, a deep, almost contemplative sweetness, enhanced by the lightness of the mouth and the protective inclination of the head. The Child, dressed in a golden garment with wide folds, blesses with his right hand while holding a scroll in the other, a symbol of the revealed Word. The gestural dialogue between the Mother and her Son, in sacred silence, invites prayer and inner meditation.

The work is framed in its original wooden structure, partially preserved, recognizable by its arched architectural form. The color palette, sober yet expressive (ferruginous browns, purple reds, olive greens, white highlights, and burnished gold), highlights the volumes and halos, maintaining a remarkable visual clarity despite the centuries. This panel is inspired by models from the Byzantine tradition, disseminated via the great artistic centers of the Balkans, while retaining a local sensitivity, perceptible in the very human and accessible rendering of the figures.

Technical Information:
Type: Central panel of a devotional triptych
Subject: Virgin holding the Child Jesus
Origin: Eastern Europe or the Balkans
Period: 17th century (circa 1650)
Technique: Egg tempera on wood panel, gesso (chalk ground), gold leaf gilding applied with tempera
Dimensions: 29.5 x 22.5 cm
Frame: Original wooden structure, partially preserved, curved arch
Condition: Good overall condition, wear consistent with age, fine surface cracking, oxidized gilding with an old patina

This panel exudes a strong emotional charge, through the luminous beauty of the Virgin's face and the balance of the composition. The work embodies the primary function of Eastern sacred art: to offer a living and meditative presence, more than a simple image. Its spiritual value is coupled here with artistic refinement, evident in the meticulousness of the lines, the sensitivity of the expressions, and the subtlety of the gestures. A rare piece, preserved in its original format, that will appeal to lovers of sacred art, collectors of ancient religious paintings, or enthusiasts of Eastern Christian spirituality.

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