ALTARPIECE OF THE VIRGIN OF BASCONES, VALDIVIA

STYLE 

Regarding composition, the reliefs are the work of a highly-skilled artist. The figures, with their elegant and dynamic attitudes and postures, are beautifully distributed in such a skilful way they give the impression of real depth in a space that is additionally embellished with multiple environmental references, without forgetting beautifully-observed, anecdotal references.  

The oval, plump faces of female figures are uniformly characterised with thick, curved eyebrows, short noses, wide mouths, prominent chins and slightly wavy hair. The most inexpressive face is that of the figure in the Ascension. The faces of male figures vary slightly from one to the other: Evangelists' faces are serenely nobler in expression, something that we will observe only quite exceptionally in the figures in the reliefs (the figure to the right forefront in the Circumcision). Here we can see very characterised, dramatic figures with high cheekbones, half-open mouths, prominent noses and chins and barely-defined hair, moustaches and beards.