RARE HOLY VIRGIN WITH CHILD IN MAJESTY "SEDES SAPIENTIAE in carved walnut wood. The back is hollowed out (closed by a by a wooden plate). Our Lady is seated, hieratic in majesty on a throne on a throne, her arms open to present her Divine Infant Son seated (removable) clothed in a toga and holding in her left hand the open book of Sacred Scripture. His right hand, which was blessing is missing. France, Auvergne, late 11th century, early 12th century. Height: 77.5 cm - Width: 36 cm - Depth: 17.5 cm (traces of old polychromy, accidents, visible damage and restorations, numerous wrought iron spikes, added elements) PROVENANCE - Reputedly acquired in Auvergne around 1930 by Madame Marais [letter from François Bigot dated 18 January 1998]. - Acquired from the Marais heirs by Madame Gabrielle Laroche through François Bigot. - Acquired from the previous owner by Joseph Pell Lombardi [Invoice dated 8 December 1998] - Private collection Joseph Pell Lombardi for the chapel of his château at Sailhant (Cantal) BIBLIOGRAPHY "La science au secours de l'expert : une sculpture bien authentique "article by François Bigot published in the book Vrai ou Faux, l'expertise des Objets d'Art by the Union Française des Experts, Faton (1994). Pages 48 to 51 (reproduced). Attached is a detailed report of the tomographic examination carried out by Gilles Perrault's laboratory in 1991, which shows that the that the Virgin's head was sculpted at the same time as the body at the same time as the body, in the same mass of wood, then sawn horizontally. A modern piece was then added to lengthen the neck. lengthen the neck, as well as a piece in front of the neck to conceal a major crack in the original wood at the front. The analysis also proves that the Infant Jesus is indeed original and was also carved carved from the same wood and at the same time as the Virgin although in an independent mass and fixed at a later stage. (Two old fixing points are also filled in on the Virgin's belly). on the Virgin's belly). Our extremely rare sculpture is part of the archetypal corpus Sedes Sapientiae ("Throne of Wisdom"), emblematic of Romanesque of Romanesque iconography. The profusion of this type of sculpture, particularly in Auvergne is explained by the Auvergne origin of its iconography. It is in fact the vision of Abbot Robert de Mozac in the 10th century, recorded in the in the Codex Claromontanus (ms. 145 of the Clermont-Ferrand of the Clermont-Ferrand Heritage Library) that gave rise to these pious images. From this long account by the deacon Arnaud at the end of the 10th century, we that the abbot of Mozac, near Riom, received an apparition of the apparition of the Virgin Mary in a celestial light, enthroned in majesty, holding the Infant Jesus in her arms, seated on his mother's lap. Our Lady spoke to Robert and both the cathedral and her image. This is how the bishop of Clermont, Etienne II, had the cathedral designed (probably under Robert's direction) the first Sedes Sapientae: a prototypical treasure trove of gold and jewels, which was destroyed during the French Revolution. Fortunately, traces of this original work can still be seen thanks to the pen-and-ink margin drawing of the "Codex Claramontanus (Fig. 1). It was this first sculpture, in accordance with the wishes mystically revealed to Robert de Mozac, which was at the origin of all of all the Sedes Sapientiae of its kind, of which our copy is a perfect is perfectly in keeping with it. The rigorous frontality, the absence of interaction between the figures and the marked hieratic nature of the bodies are all characteristics typical of Romanesque art. The seat, massive and cubic reinforces the symbolism of unshakeable divine majesty. The of the drapery, which is schematic but rhythmic orderly forms to express stability and transcendence. and transcendence. The very title Sedes Sapientiae ("Throne of Wisdom") to designate this type of mystically revealed work borrows directly from a Marian term. The title refers literally means the Blessed Virgin Mary making herself, the throne of her Divine Son, of whom she is both mystically mystically the Daughter, the Spouse and the Mother. Our Sedes Sapientiae is remarkable for its almost Carolingian headdress. headdress, which suggests an earlier dating than is earlier than usual. It is more particularly to be compared with with the Virgin in Majesty known as the Limay Virgin (Fig. 2) currently cathedral in Versailles [Reference Mérimée reference: PM78000261], which also probably originated in the Auvergne. The Virgins of Orcival (Fig. 3) and Saint-Gervazy (Fig. 4) are also good comparatives. Intended for devotion in parish churches, these sculptures affirm the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the as the privileged interlocutor of souls who wish to know, love and serve her Divine Son.