La Sobarriba: Land of deep roots and infinite horizons.
We are looking at the beautiful enthroned Virgin from the 13th century, named after a toponym that endures as a devotional memory and, over time, became institutionalized as a popular invocation, referring to the place it occupied before becoming part of the cultic endowment of the parish church.
The folds of the garments are rigid and symmetrical; however, the Child is shifted toward the Virgin’s left leg to make contact with her hand, suggesting a progression in the otherwise hieratic composition. They form a compact volume, where Mary is not the focal point of devotional attention but rather the means and support for Christ the King, crowned and teacher.
A specific peculiarity is the volume dedicated to the Virgin’s seat, which preserves the typical medieval decoration of small arches. Also very characteristic of this image is the detail of the head covering, a knotted scarf-like garment with crossed ends, drawn in stylized lines, under which the decorated edge of a shirt can be seen.
Although there is some gold decoration, the motifs on the Child’s and the Virgin’s tunics—identical in design, with a graphic appearance and medieval characteristics—suggest that this is an untouched image. That is, its appearance is purely medieval both in sculptural and polychrome form, with pigments typical of the time and painted using the tempera technique. Attention to execution and design is evident in details such as the painted decoration on the inside of the mantle, simulating a lining of rich fabric.
Today, the sculpture shows considerable damage due to woodworm infestation at its base, to the point of erasing the relief of the Virgin’s right foot, and the wood exhibits severe erosion.
Her image corresponds to the canonical type of Romanesque sculpture, Sedes Sapientiae or Throne of Wisdom, characteristic of the high and late Romanesque. Both the Child and the Mother exhibit strict frontality, with no naturalistic intentions in their anatomy. The Virgin holds the typical attributes of a fruit, flower, or orb in her right hand, while the Child’s posture is unknown due to mutilation, though based on its typology, he may have held a book and been in a gesture of blessing.
The folds of the garments are rigid and symmetrical; however, the Child is shifted toward the Virgin’s left leg to make contact with her hand, suggesting a progression in the otherwise hieratic composition. They form a compact volume, where Mary is not the focal point of devotional attention but rather the means and support for Christ the King, crowned and teacher.
A specific peculiarity is the volume dedicated to the Virgin’s seat, which preserves the typical medieval decoration of small arches. Also very characteristic of this image is the detail of the head covering, a knotted scarf-like garment with crossed ends, drawn in stylized lines, under which the decorated edge of a shirt can be seen.
Although there is some gold decoration, the motifs on the Child’s and the Virgin’s tunics—identical in design, with a graphic appearance and medieval characteristics—suggest that this is an untouched image. That is, its appearance is purely medieval both in sculptural and polychrome form, with pigments typical of the time and painted using the tempera technique. Attention to execution and design is evident in details such as the painted decoration on the inside of the mantle, simulating a lining of rich fabric.
Today, the sculpture shows considerable damage due to woodworm infestation at its base, to the point of erasing the relief of the Virgin’s right foot, and the wood exhibits severe erosion.
Descubre la Sobarriba a través de un recorrido inolvidable por su patrimonio, cultura y paisajes. La Ruta Cultural de la Sobrarriba ofrece visitas guiadas y explicaciones detalladas en varios puntos de interés, combinando historia, arquitectura, tradiciones y naturaleza en una experiencia única.
Cada ruta está diseñada para adaptarse a diferentes tipos de viajeros: desde caminantes y ciclistas hasta quienes prefieren rutas a caballo o incluso en globo aerostático. Acompáñanos en un viaje en el tiempo y adéntrate en los secretos de una tierra que ha sido testigo de siglos de historia.
Descubre la Sobarriba a través de un recorrido inolvidable por su patrimonio, cultura y paisajes. La Ruta Cultural de la Sobrarriba ofrece visitas guiadas y explicaciones detalladas en varios puntos de interés, combinando historia, arquitectura, tradiciones y naturaleza en una experiencia única.
Cada ruta está diseñada para adaptarse a diferentes tipos de viajeros: desde caminantes y ciclistas hasta quienes prefieren rutas a caballo o incluso en globo aerostático. Acompáñanos en un viaje en el tiempo y adéntrate en los secretos de una tierra que ha sido testigo de siglos de historia.