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Lot Essay
Stylistically, the incredibly naturalistic and well preserved group of the Virgin and Child offered here relates very closely to the work of one of the most significant and engaging of all 17th century Spanish sculptors, Pedro de Mena (1628-1688). In terms of style, composition and quality of polychromy the present group is closely comparable to de Mena's La Dolorosa, conserved in the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid. In this bust de Mena has imbued his Virgin with a profound sobriety which is accentuated by the practically human flesh tones, intense expression, hesitant movement and the rendition of the luxuriously decorated and volumnious drapery. These elements, as well as an identical choice of colours for the different clothes worn by the Virgin, are all clearly visible on the group offered here, and suggest that the two pieces could be by the same hand. This however is unlikely as a number of minor, yet irreconcilable, differences are perceptible that suggest another artist almost certainly from de Mena's workshop is likely to be its author.
Thus it it to de Mena's Malaga-born workshop assistant, Miguel de Zayas, that one must turn. De Mena spent much of his career working in Malaga, so it is no surprise that he sourced local talent to work in his busy workshop. Little is known about de Zayas and only a very small number of autograph works by him are known. A group of St Joseph and the Infant Christ in a private collection, Madrid, appears to be the most well-known work and is signed Michael de Zaias, discipulus de Pedro de Mena, fecit Malaga anno 1697. This group, illustrated in Gómez Moreno (op. cit., pp. 258-9) depicts Joseph standing and holding the animated Christ Child in his left arm. It shares with the Virgin and Child a very similar attention to the voluminous folds of drapery, which are richly accentuated with embroidered decoration, a seemingly identical quality of painted flesh tones and, above all, a near identical figure of Christ. Indeed, it is the rendition of this latter figure that unquestionably connects the group offered here to de Zayas. In both groups the denuded child is animated and seemingly restless in his parents' arms. He has very short cropped hair, a rounded face with almond-shaped eyes and a pointed nose, chubby arms with a small band of fat below his chest and a bloated belly. Even the faces of the Virgin and Joseph, with their distinctive tilted heads, long straight noses, heavy eye lids and long necks provide the key to the group's authorship.
Thus it it to de Mena's Malaga-born workshop assistant, Miguel de Zayas, that one must turn. De Mena spent much of his career working in Malaga, so it is no surprise that he sourced local talent to work in his busy workshop. Little is known about de Zayas and only a very small number of autograph works by him are known. A group of St Joseph and the Infant Christ in a private collection, Madrid, appears to be the most well-known work and is signed Michael de Zaias, discipulus de Pedro de Mena, fecit Malaga anno 1697. This group, illustrated in Gómez Moreno (op. cit., pp. 258-9) depicts Joseph standing and holding the animated Christ Child in his left arm. It shares with the Virgin and Child a very similar attention to the voluminous folds of drapery, which are richly accentuated with embroidered decoration, a seemingly identical quality of painted flesh tones and, above all, a near identical figure of Christ. Indeed, it is the rendition of this latter figure that unquestionably connects the group offered here to de Zayas. In both groups the denuded child is animated and seemingly restless in his parents' arms. He has very short cropped hair, a rounded face with almond-shaped eyes and a pointed nose, chubby arms with a small band of fat below his chest and a bloated belly. Even the faces of the Virgin and Joseph, with their distinctive tilted heads, long straight noses, heavy eye lids and long necks provide the key to the group's authorship.