This March, two significant artistic endeavors can be shown together for the primary time on the TEFAF art fair in Maastricht, offering a rare opportunity to explore the connection between the Baroque and Renaissance periods.
A portrait by Diego Velázquez of the devout Mother Jerónima de la Fuente, painted in 1620, can be exhibited alongside a 25cm bronze forged of Christ, thought to have been modelled by Michelangelo.
Velázquez’s portrait of Mother Jerónima, painted when she was 66 years old, depicts the nun as a formidable and devout woman, holding a crucifix in her right hand while clasping a book in her left.
The painting, which was housed in a Toledo convent before passing right into a Madrid family’s hands within the Nineteen Forties, is being publicly displayed for the primary time within the Netherlands. It portrays Mother Jerónima as a lady of remarkable strength and purpose, who launched into a unprecedented journey across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to ascertain the primary convent within the Philippines.
The bronze corpus of Christ, priced at €1.8 million (£1.5 million), is believed to be based on a design by Michelangelo, crafted by his associate Guglielmo della Porta in Rome across the late sixteenth century. The work is believed to have inspired the crucifix held by Mother Jerónima in Velázquez’s portrait. The figure of Christ, with its detailed anatomical accuracy, reflects Michelangelo’s deep exploration of spirituality and the human form. This particular bronze corpus arrived in Seville in 1597, where it became highly influential, with multiple casts being produced and even painted versions created by artists reminiscent of Francisco Pacheco, Velázquez’s teacher.
Stuart Lochhead, the art dealer behind the exhibition, emphasises that the main target of the display shouldn’t be only on the well-known names of Velázquez and Michelangelo but in addition on the stories behind these works. He highlights the connection between Michelangelo and the poet Vittoria Colonna, which can have influenced the tender and anatomical design of the Christ figure. “We’re bringing within the influence of Vittoria Colonna and Jerónima into the creation of two artistic endeavors, which normally you’d take a look at and say: ‘Well, these were made by the nice artists and that’s the top of the story.’ But it’s not,” Lochhead told the Guardian.
The connection between Velázquez and Michelangelo’s work can be intriguing, with the crucifix in Mother Jerónima’s hand possibly being one among the numerous casts produced from Michelangelo’s original bronze model. Velázquez’s connection to the Seville artist Francisco Pacheco, who painted his own version of the bronze corpus, suggests that Velázquez would have been acquainted with the model, raising questions on whether the crucifix within the nun’s hand was a present or an object from the artist’s workshop.
Lochhead stresses that the aim of the exhibition shouldn’t be only to showcase these two iconic pieces but in addition to explore their historical and spiritual significance. While the exhibition will offer a possibility to understand the artistic brilliance of each Velázquez and Michelangelo, it also serves as a reminder of the non-public and non secular devotion that influenced their works. “We’re capable of understand why these items were made – their backstory and who influenced them,” says Lochhead.
The display seeks to spotlight the role of religion and the connection between artist, subject, and inspiration, offering a deeper understanding of the motivations behind the creation of those remarkable artistic endeavors.
Though it’s unclear whether the 2 pieces will remain together following the fair, Lochhead is hopeful that their time together in Maastricht will encourage visitors to reflect on the non-public and spiritual connections that shaped their creation. The exhibition at TEFAF, running from 15 March, will provide visitors with a rare likelihood to see these masterpieces side by side.
 This March, two significant artistic endeavors can be shown together for the primary time on the TEFAF...){kind=link}