Saint Peter In Majesty Italy Circa 1400

Saint Peter in majesty in carved polychrome wood, the Saint is seated on a throne, sketching the gesture of blessing with his right hand and holding a book in his left hand as well as his attribute: the key. He is dressed in a long tunic, falling in broken folds to his feet, covered by a cope held in place by a clasp at chest level. Saint Peter wears the papal tiara and gloves. His face is bearded and serene, with expressive eyes. The back is hollowed out. The pontifical tiara, also known as the triregnum, is a headdress with three golden crowns, symbolizing the pope's triple power: spiritual, moral and political (placing him above kings and emperors). It has not been used as a ceremonial headdress since Pope Paul XVI, but is still officially part of the Holy See's coat of arms and the Vatican flag. The three crowns appear on the tiara from 1380, see the recumbent statue of Pope Urban V in the Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon.
North Italy circa 1400.