A fine example of both the art of Gerard David and his highly skilled atelier at the end of the fifteenth century in Bruges, then late in its long run as an artistic center for the perpetuation of the art of van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden, this well-preserved pair also introduces a sophisticated variation of the fifteenth century Andachtsbild votive images of The Virgin Mother as mediatrix on behalf of the votive patron’s prayers which are answered by Christ as the Salvator Mundi holding the globe with one hand while raising the other in a benedictional response to prayer. Typical of works by David’s studio, there is virtually little or no readily discernable difference between work done under his supervision from his preparatory drawings with possible finishing intervention and superior small votives like the present diptych which were quite probably created entirely by his own hand.
Both portrayals were derived from iconic types sanctioned by long tradition subtly modified according to the artistic sensibilities of a leading master and his studio in creating such votives for an audience of the pious urban elite. In this instance, reference was made and can be made in reflection now to a few striking examples of the art of Gerard David and perhaps a particularly adept amanuensis emerging as a new master within his studio. The volto santo – Holy Face – itself is a Renaissance modernization of an early and hence authoritative iconic Byzantine image that David infused with morphological traits of Eyckian empathetic naturalism: the very high forehead, V-parted hairline, narrow jaw and split beard type found inter alia in Davidian heads of Christ in Pittsburg (Carnegie Institute), and with the same general position of hand and pectoral morse in a version in Philadelphia (Johnson Collection); The face of the Virgin is almost a literal replication of the head of (Her mother) St. Anne in the altar piece dedicated to that Saint in the National Gallery, Washington, all developed by David for his own and studio use in carefully developed model drawings and prototypical finished paintings for which cf.: Max J. Friedländer, Early Netherlandish Painting, Vol. VI, New York, 1971 as the preferable emended translation of the original German monograph; on David’s work in a modern perspective including technique, stylistic context, study preparations and market environment as treated in the exemplary modern monograph by Maryan W. Ainsworth. Gerard David: Priority of Vision in an Age of Transition, New York, 1998.
