Capital; Italy, 15th century. Carved plaster. The... Lot 8

Capital; Italy, 15th century. Carved plaster. The carving is damaged. Measurements: 36 x 41 x 38 cm. Gothic style capital made of carved plaster with a truncated cone shape, with the base smaller in perimeter than the upper part. Despite the faults caused by the passage of time, the piece retains a very deep relief, which allows us to appreciate the representation of a human figure, which, from her hair, seems to be a woman. The details are still visible, particularly the latticework of the neck of the tunic and the curls that form in her hair, showing delicate trepano work. The back of the piece is not worked, thus indicating the ornamental function of the capital, which in many cases was intended solely as a decorative element, as a finishing touch to the mouldings or ribs of the large columns. The Gothic capital gradually lost its importance as the period of the style progressed. After the transitional period in which the Romanesque capital is followed, it takes the form of a somewhat conical drum embraced by foliage whose motifs are taken from the flora of the country and crowned by a circular or polygonal abacus with various mouldings. Subsequently, the capital becomes smaller and more delicate, and finally, it is eliminated when in the 15th century the bundle of reeds branches out directly into the ribs of the vault without any solution of continuity in many cases or remains in the form of a simple ring.