ALTARPIECE OF THE HOLY INFANT'S CHILDHOOD

STYLE 

Different to the more traditional way of composing reliefs on Flemish altarpieces, these scenes, though they may be made up of more than one piece of wood, incorporate different characters on different levels, thereby providing a heightened sense of unity overall without depriving the figures of their own space.

Their faces are not very expressive. Their physical characteristics, however, are rather peculiar: eyes are small and almond-shaped, noses are not very long and straight with wide bases and well-defined nostrils from which deep wrinkles descend to the mouths giving the figures rather stern expressions. Women's faces are oval and fleshier and framed by straight hair in contrast to those of male figures which are bonier, with high cheekbones, sunken cheeks and rather wide jawbones. Male figures have curly hair and beards. Pleats and folds in garments are defined, but are neither numerous, nor deep.