Sedes Sapientiae, Atelier mosan, second half of the 11th century (Virgin) and 14th century (throne), polychromed and golden alder (Virgin), polychromed and golden oak (throne), provenance: Hermalle-sous-Huy. Musée d’Art et d’Histoire (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels, Belgium). Made with CapturingReality.

In the Meuse region, the oldest sculpted representations of the Virgin and Child date back to the 11th century. Invariably, the Virgin is seated, in a frontal and hieratic position; she carries the blessing Child on her knees. Jesus embodies eternal wisdom and the Virgin is his throne. The Virgin remains consigned to the background. Simply veiled and dressed with sobriety, she only exists through her role as mother. The throne on which the Virgin of the 11th century sits is not original, it dates from the 14th century. The virgin and her original throne were cut from a single block of wood.

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