Bidspirit auction | Exceptional Romanesque Cross Base from

Exceptional Romanesque Cross Base from the 13th Century - 60 x 44 x 46 cm. Carved from stone, possibly from Salamanca or Galicia. A figure, the best preserved of the group, stands out around the base of the wayside cross, holding a chalice and a Bible. Could this be Saint John the Evangelist, the beloved disciple present at the Last Supper who rested his head on the breast of the King of the Jews? Or perhaps it is a prophet, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, or even Elijah, key figures in the Old Testament for understanding the message of the New. Adam and Eve, along with the representation of Original Sin, the serpent, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, are also frequently repeated motifs. Representations of Lust and the Seven Deadly Sins were also common, moralizing images where women were attacked by serpents or monstrous creatures to warn against vices and temptations. Finally, there are also fantastic bestiaries of hybrid animals such as griffins, harpies, and dragons, carved alongside sacred figures to symbolize the eternal struggle between good and evil. Provenance: important private Catalan collection.