Spanish school of the early 16th century. "Saint... Lot 26

Spanish school of the early 16th century. "Saint Mark. Painting on panel. It presents some faults in the pictorial layer. Measurements: 38 x 26 cm. Saint Mark is writing the Gospels under the auspices of a lion, the animal that always accompanies and identifies him in the bosom of the tetramorphos. The Apostle Evangelist wears a silky emerald robe and a cloak trimmed with gold brocade. Despite the advanced nature of the period, stylistically this devotional painting is still anchored to late Gothic or pre-Renaissance postulates, as can be seen in the pre-eminence of the line and the gilded background on which the figure is set, which has been decorated with damask patterns. The smooth qualities are the result of an excellent use of colour in which the carmine contrasts with the gold. The countenance, however, has been resolved with fresh flesh tones, and is closer to Renaissance portraits. The saint's name is written in Latin at the top. Mark is symbolised by a lion because his Gospel begins with the preaching of the Baptist in the desert, where there were wild animals. His Gospel was the first to be written (in the 1960s AD) and served as a catechetical text for those preparing for baptism.