Granada School; late seventeenth century. Lot n° 23

Granada School; late seventeenth century. "Dolorosa". Carved and polychrome wood. Presents repainting. Measurements: 63 x 30 x 20 cm. The devotion to the sorrows of the Virgin has its roots in medieval times, and was especially spread by the Servite order, founded in 1233. There are many and varied iconographic representations that have as central theme the Virgin Mary in her Sorrowful aspect, being the first of them in which she appears next to the Child Jesus, who sleeps oblivious to the future of suffering that awaits him. In these works the cross is usually present, the main symbol of the Passion, embraced even by the Child, while Mary observes him with a pathetic expression. Another aspect is the one that is part of the Pietà, similar to the previous one, although her Son is here dead, not asleep, depicted as an adult and after his crucifixion. In the oldest representations of this theme, the body of Christ appears disproportionately small, as a symbol of the memory that the mother has of her Son's childhood, when she contemplated him asleep on her lap. Finally, the Virgin of Sorrows and Solitude also stands out in importance, where Mary appears alone, sometimes with her heart pierced by one or several swords. Being this representation very close to popular sentiment, after the iconography of the Virgin of Sorrows, the iconography of Solitude is created: Mary, completely alone, is harassed by the memory of the main moments of her life, afflicted in solitude, without her Son. In this theme, the weeping of the Virgin is frequently represented, with torrents of tears running down her cheeks. Stylistically, it is inserted in the Granadine baroque, which can be appreciated not only in the iconography, but also in the model chosen as an influence for it, in the decoration of the clothes, in the coloring, in the features of the face, etc. Compare, for example, with the face and volumes of the "Inmaculada del facistol" made by Alonso Cano in 1655 and preserved in the Sacristy of the Cathedral of Granada, or the hand models or environment of Diego de Mora (Granada, 1656-1729), brother of José de Mora who also trained with Alonso Cano (particularly the Inmaculada de la Iglesia Parroquial de Santa Cruz de Pampaneira in Granada), or the one in the Parish Church of Santa Cruz de Pampaneira in Granada; or that of the parish church of La Anunciación de Cogollos Vega in Granada, to cite two examples somewhat similar to the present sculpture).