Personification of Synagogue
May one see it?
Yes, receiving visitors
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the sculpture
This relief shows the blindfolded figure of Synagogue. It comes from an altarpiece carved with scenes of the Life of the Virgin. It shows the blindfolded woman who sits in an attitude of defeat, confined in a small cell-like space. She holds the tablets of the Old Testament in her left hand and a broken standard in her right.She represents the 'antitype' (or complete opposite) of the Virgin, who would be placed higher up, in the form of Ecclesia, the personification of the Church. She is dressed in clothes that were fashionable between about 1500 and 1550. She has a chain girdle round her waist. It reaches to the floor and ends in a bell-shaped tassel or pomander. To date, we know of no other altarpieces in the Netherlands that show this particular figure. However, there are examples of single figures in similar postures set in square panels.
Read on
These figures are usually pairs of prophets and they are found on altarpieces that show the Infancy of Christ. There are several features that help to identify where and when the relief was made. These include the style of the drapery and the decoration of the costume. The energy of the figure and the high quality of the carving also suggest that it was probably made at the later Borman workshops. These workshops were active in Brussels around 1520-1530.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- 373-1890
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 12 days ago
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
