Virgin and Child in Majesty (Seat of Divine Wisdom)

With her large body and frontal pose, the Virgin here functions as a throne for Christ, a visual expression of her status as the Mother of God and source of wisdom. While the symmetry and rigid composition of the work are characteristic of Romanesque sculpture, these qualities are disrupted by the soft lines of falling drapery and the off-center stance of the Christ child. Relatively lightweight, this sculpture was probably a cult statue carried in religious processions, touched, and even kissed, by worshippers. It may have held relics embedded in its body, which would have endowed it with a sacred presence. Remains of pigment and holes at both figures’ necks indicate that the sculpture was once painted and ornamented with precious metal or gems.